Fire and Ice
by AutumnalTroll
Summary: Upon finding a box with something very sentimental inside, Poppy gets an idea to pick up a winter tradition started by her mother years ago. But if she's going to pull it off, she's going to need a little help.
1. Chapter 1 The Tradition

**Welcome to a world of ice skating and snow and ice and Trolls! And of course, sweet Broppy goodness! I've never written Trolls material before but I'm giving it my all, so I hope you enjoy!**

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Chapter 1 The Tradition

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"Found them!"

From her closet, Poppy emerged, holding a burgundy box that, while old and worn and lacking a bit of its structure, still looked rather elegant. Especially with the gold ribbon adorning its lid.

Smidge was perched right on the edge of Poppy's bed, eyes wide and filled with curiosity when they spied the mysterious box. Anticipation had driven her to leap down mere moments later, however, and rush over to her friend's side. "Lemme see, lemme see!"

"Hang on, Smidge," Poppy laughed, holding the box close to her chest. "Remember, these belonged to my mom, so we need to handle them with care, alright?"

Smidge nodded repeatedly and tossed a quick thumbs-up. "You got it. I'll handle them with care of a level you've never seen."

Poppy knelt down on the rug, still holding the box reverently. Smidge took seat as well, facing her. The petite yellow troll watched with rapt interest as Poppy removed the lid, revealing what was nestled inside.

"Oh my god," whispered Smidge, mouth falling open. "They're beautiful!"

Smiling fondly, Poppy reached into the box and pulled out a pair of ice skates, magenta eyes possessing a wistful shimmer.

The boot of the skates were encased in a brilliant violet crystal, the blades cut into finer pieces and attached to the base of each boot, the insoles padded with a plush fabric for comfort and necessary support. The skates had dulled a bit at the edges, the blades scuffed in certain spots, but that didn't make them any less lovely in Poppy's eyes.

"Your dad really made these for her?"

"With his own two hands and a chisel," Poppy answered, her tone deeply sentimental as she marveled at the treasure she'd uncovered. "He told me that each year, on the night of the first full moon in winter, she would welcome the snowy season with a routine out on the lake. And the reason it had to be on the night of the first full moon is because that's the night that the ice lilies bloom."

"Ice lilies?"

Poppy nodded. "You know those pretty white flowers that pop up everywhere around this time? The ones that have those shimmery gemstone centers?"

"Oh those! Yea, I've seen those around."

"Well, with enough holiday spirit, the gemstones in the center of the flowers will cast these rays of colorful light that all shoot up towards the sky like fireworks. And when they all meet in the center, the light creates a big explosion that creates kaleidosnowflakes, snowflakes of all these crazy colors and shapes. And if you catch one on your tongue when they fall…well, I've never tasted one before, but they're said to be the most delicious frozen treat you'll ever indulge in. Mom would use her routine to lift the spirits of all the trolls and bring about the kaleidosnow. Every year…" Poppy's smile began to fade. "While she was still around, I mean."

Smidge rested a comforting palm on her friend's shoulder, her expression soft and full of sympathy. "I think your dad would be very proud if you picked your mom's tradition back up, Poppy. But you should make sure they fit first. Here, let me help you try them on."

Smidge loosened the network of laces on the front that were flanked by glittery stone. Then she held one of the crystal skates out and Poppy slid her foot into it. After fiddling with the laces and tying them tight and secure, she sat back and they both assessed the result.

"A perfect fit," Smidge declared.

Poppy's smile lit up her entire face. "This is my sign, Smidge. Now I have to! I just have to run the idea by my dad first. You wanna come with me to ask him?"

The smaller she-troll smirked. "Like you even have to ask. Of course I do."

So, after storing the skate back in the box with its companion, Poppy left her pod and headed down into the village, Smidge following closely behind.

The cold stung Poppy's nose and she shivered lightly. But cold as it was, the village in winter was positively beautiful to the young queen. True, it wasn't nearly as colorful and bright as it was in spring or summer, but the way she saw it, the powdery white snow blanketing the ground and dusting the tree branches was a breathtaking sight to behold all the same.

It didn't take long for the duo to find Peppy. The aging former leader was in the heart of the village, helping to pass out mugs of delicious hot cocoa and making sure everyone had a warm coat on their back or a scarf around their neck. Not so much a situation of urgency, but he did still like to pitch in, whenever he had the energy for it.

"Dad!" Poppy called.

Peppy looked up right away, a bright and loving grin creasing his face. "Good morning, my princess! Good to see you up and about so early today."

"Dad," she said again, but this time, laughter could be heard in her voice. "It's 'queen' now, remember?"

"Of course I remember. My memory's still sharp as ever, even if I am old. But you'll always be my princess. Even as you lead our people like the regal queen that you've become."

Humility wrapped itself around the young ruler, and she swallowed past the tiny lump in her throat trying to take root. "Erm, speaking of regal leaders…I wanted to ask you something. Do you have a minute?"

"For you? Always." He set down the stack of blankets he was holding and beckoned her to a less populated area, away from the large cluster of gathered trolls.

Once they'd reached a quieter spot, Peppy stopped, leaning on his cane. "Okay. I could tell by that look on your face that this was a serious matter. So, come on. Out with it. What's on your mind?"

Poppy pursed her lips nervously and held the box out to her father.

Brow quirked, Peppy opened the box to look inside, and it was clear he hadn't been prepared for what he saw. "Oh…" The elder troll's breath hitched, lips parted. "You…you found your mother's skates..." His timeworn eyes filled with a heartbreaking faraway sadness, but a gentle smile followed soon after. "You know, skating was one of her favorite things to do this time of year. Besides making sure everyone was safe and warm."

Poppy nodded, ears lowered as she tried to rein in the flurry of emotions taking hold of her in that moment. "I remember you telling me about her tradition, and I…I was wondering, if…if you'd be okay with me carrying it on myself? In her honor?"

"Oh Poppy," he whispered, eyes beginning to grow misty at his daughter's touching request. "I…I would love that. And I know she would too."

Squealing excitedly, she pulled her father into a tight hug. "Oh thank you Dad! Thank you thank you thank you! I promise, I'll do you both proud!"

Poppy returned to the crowd shortly after to find Smidge, happily clutching a mug of cocoa where she'd gotten cozy on a mushroom.

"He said I could do it!" Poppy cheerfully exclaimed, jumping up and down.

"Really?" Smidge shot straight to her feet and hopped down. "That's great, Poppy! I can't wait to see the show you're gonna put on! This is gonna be so cool. I didn't even know that you knew how to ice skate!"

"Oh, I don't."

The toothy grin on Smidge's face vanished straightaway. "Oh…" She blinked, brows furrowed and lips curved into a confused frown. "So…how are you gonna do this then?"

Poppy shrugged. "I'll just have to learn. It can't be that hard."

Little did she know she'd soon be eating her words like a freshly baked pie.

-[][][]-

As it turned out, learning to ice skate was insufferably hard. And painful too. The first few days out on the lake proved to be an experience that left both her limbs and optimism deeply bruised upon making these disappointing discoveries. She couldn't seem to get more than a few feet in any direction before starting to stumble and fall on the slick sheet of ice. Instead of glide, jump, turn, repeat, it was more like flail, slip, fall, repeat.

But around mid-morning, she thought she finally had it figured out. She had mastered a solid wobbly gait and managed to inch her way away from the lake's edge and closer to its center. Stiffly, she shifted her weight from one leg to the other and back again, feet sliding back and forth like a pair of discs on Suki's turntable. Ten whole seconds without falling gave her a sudden burst of confidence, and she picked up her pace.

Unfortunately, that confidence was short-lived as she quickly lost control with this sudden increase in speed. In a panic, she flailed wildly, desperately grasping for precious balance, to no avail. Her breathing grew erratic as her attempts to stop, or even slow down, were fruitless. On the contrary; she felt herself going even faster. Urgently but clumsily, she dug the blades of her skates into the ice, willing to try anything that would work in her favor.

Alas, she realized a little too late that her only viable option was to brace for impact. A loud scream built in her throat and rang out as she threw her hands up over her face just before colliding head-on with a prickly snow covered bush.

It had all happened in such a blur.

With a pained groan, she shut her eyes tightly, pitiful prey to the biting cold of the snow she'd been buried under.

Just then, she heard a familiar voice shouting her name in alarm. It was faint at first, but she knew right away who it was.

"Poppy! Poppy hold on, I'll get you out!"

Frantic hands clawed away at the pink troll's snowy entrapment, eventually exposing enough of her body for her rescuer to pull her out.

She shivered, blinking and looking up into the eyes of her savior as her teeth began to chatter.

"B-B-B-Brrr-anch? Wh-what are you—d-d-doing out h-here?"

"Saving you from the perils of a cold winter's day. Seriously, do you have a death wish?" he shot back flatly, but worry was very present in his gaze as he brushed the remaining bits of snow off her face. He gently gripped her chin, murmuring an apology when she winced and carefully looked her over. She wasn't bleeding anywhere, to his immense relief. "You okay?" he asked, his tone softer now as he removed the cloak he wore and wrapped it around her. "Anything feel sprained? Broken?"

"No," she groaned, a pout on her lips. "The only thing broken right now is my heart." She huffed out a heavy sigh, head hanging low. "I had no idea this would be so hard…"

"What, ice skating?" Despite being angry that she'd so foolishly put herself in danger like this, a smirk still graced his features. "Well yea, of course it's hard, if you've never done it. It's a skill like any other. Takes time to perfect. But it's also really dangerous, which is probably why you don't see many trolls on skates. I didn't even know anyone still skated, actually…"

When Poppy's only response was to glumly stare out at the frozen lake, Branch inched closer, ears lowered ever so slightly.

"Why are you so worried about learning to ice skate?"

"Because Branch, I told my dad that I wanted to revive my mom's winter tradition. When she was alive, she would always skate a big routine the night of the winter's first full moon and lift everyone's spirits so that the kaleidosnowflakes would fall."

"Wait, the what now?"

She huffed a frustrated breath, the tiny puff billowing up into the open air in tendrils. "They're these beautiful snowflakes of different colors and shapes that fall from the sky the night the ice lilies first bloom. But only with enough holiday spirit. Dad always said it was his most favorite thing in the whole world. That he'd never seen a more beautiful sight in his life. And I just…since I'm queen now, I just wanted to honor both my parents by continuing the tradition my mom started...because then, in a way, it's like she's still with us." She looked away. "But I'm sure you think that's dumb."

A touched smile tugged at Branch's lips. "No no, it's…actually really beautiful, Poppy. But if you're serious about this, then you've got some work to do, and you can't do it on your own, without getting seriously injured. What exactly was involved in your mother's routine?"

"Ummm, it's mostly twirls and toe touches, but the actual jumps?" She started to list them off, counting on her fingers. "Let's see…there's the toe loop, the lutz, and the butterfly spin. Her signature finale move."

"…yea, you're going to need help if you wanna pull that off. Or anything remotely close."

Poppy bit her lip in unease, huffing once more in frustration. "Well, I'm lost there; I don't know anyone who still knows how to skate."

"I do," Branch told her.

She stared back, her eyes wide and interest piqued. "You do?!" she leaned in excitedly. "Who is it? I need to speak to them right _now_."

"Okay, okay," he chuckled. "Keep in mind though, they might be a little rusty. But they can still give you some pointers."

"Who is it?" the pink troll demanded eagerly. "Tell me!"

"I will, but first, you need to come with me back to my place, so you can warm up and I can tend to some of those bruises. And you need to rest a little and probably have a fresh start when the pain's subsided."

"Branch, I can't rest, I don't have time! The full moon is only a few weeks away, I have to get a move on w—owwww." She hissed and gritted her teeth, a whimper threatening to sound as she gently bent her arm in a way that wouldn't aggravate the angry purple splotches she'd earned today.

"You'll have to make time for it." Adamant, Branch carefully scooped her up and began to carry her away from the lakeside.

"What are you doing?" she asked.

"You need to be off your feet for a while if you want to get back on the ice anytime soon," he answered.

Her puzzled expression slowly morphed into a grateful smile as she relaxed in his hold, cheek nestled against his shoulder.

Branch, meanwhile, was trying to keep his heart from cluing her in to just how much he was enjoying having the beautiful queen in his arms. And was having a difficult go of it, as it thumped to a choppy, uneven rhythm in his chest.

 _Thanks. Way to sell me out_ , he grumbled internally.

When they made it inside his bunker, he carried Poppy right over to a cushioned chair and set her down, holding both hands out. "Stay. Don't move from that spot. I'll be back, I just need to get a few things."

She nodded, easing into the chair, which she found to be quite comfortable.

A troll of his word, Branch returned with a small brown bowl, steam rising from the contents inside and a rag draped over the rim. He also brought a box with a jar stacked on top.

"This chair is so comfy," she sighed as he made his way over with his armful of belongings.

He hummed in distracted acknowledgment as he dipped the rag into the bowl and squeezed it of the excess warm water. "Good, I'm glad. Now, hold your arms out for me."

She obliged him, groaning softly when he pressed the rag to a particularly nasty bruise.

"Sorry," he murmured. "But this will help it." He repeated the process with all the other bruises he could see. Then he retrieved the jar and scooped out a bit of orange glop inside.

"What's that stuff?" asked Poppy.

"It's healing salve," he answered, applying it to her bruises. "Took me years to piece together the right ingredients. Lots of trial and error."

Once he'd finished he set the jar on the side table nearby. "Those should all be cleared up by tomorrow morning. Not completely, but this will definitely speed up the healing process."

"You're so good at figuring things out Branch. Like, stuff the rest of us don't take the time to think about all that much."

He snorted. "Someone's gotta keep you all out of trouble."

A weary giggle tumbled off her lips. "So, you gonna tell me who it is I need to talk to about my little skating predicament?"

His answer wasn't a verbal one. Instead, the blue-haired troll opened the box he'd brought out, sifting through it and finally pulling out a worn pair of simple grey ice skates.

Poppy's eyes lit up like fireflies. "So it's you," she said, her tone one of great intrigue and wonder.

He nodded, eyes cast down. "I used to skate all the time…grandma would always take me down to the pool under the tree the first day it froze over. We'd skate together, or she'd watch me…we had so much fun."

"Oh Branch," she whispered remorsefully. "I'm sorry, I didn't—"

"No, it's okay. Really." He gripped the pair of skates with a sad smile. "Had to grow into them…they belonged to my dad. He was the one who taught me, actually." Taking seat on the floor, he put on the old skates, turning his feet to view them from various angles.

"They're a perfect fit. Just like these," Poppy noted, gently kicking the sides of her skates together.

He removed his skates, freeing his feet once more. "You might should take them off now, so you can rest your feet."

She looked down at her feet but she didn't budge from her spot, having gotten all too cozy where she was.

Branch gave a good-natured roll of his eyes. "Here, I've got it." He gently slid off each of her skates then, one by one, and placed them next to the chair.

"Thanks! That's much better." She scooted forward, head tilted to one side. "So, you're really willing to teach me?"

"If you're up for having me teach you. You should know, learning to skate isn't easy, at all. And you're definitely not going to get it on your first try. It's gonna take practice, and a lot of it. And we're pressed for time. So we're not going to be able to cover everything you might want to. But I'd be happy to teach you what I can before the night of the full moon."

"Oh Branch, I'd hug you right now if I wasn't in so much pain!" She clapped in elation. "Thank you, you're the best!"

He flashed a small grin. "You may not be thinking that after a few grueling hours of fundamentals."

"We'll see! When can we start?"

"Whenever. Probably the sooner the better though, since we're limited on days we have to make this happen."

"True. Okay, how does first thing in the morning sound?"

"Fine by me. As long as you're healed enough by then."

She nodded in firm agreement. "It's settled then!"

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 **There's the first chapter! Hope you like it so far. :)**


	2. Chapter 2 Don't Fear the Fall

Chapter 2 Don't Fear the Fall

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Branch stood on a hilltop near the lake. He was pacing back and forth in the snow, cloak billowing out behind him as a gust of wind whistled by. He cupped his hands to his mouth, blowing warm breath into his palms to counter the biting chill in the air.

It was so bright out here compared to the more muted light down in his bunker, and it was much colder outside these days. It had certainly been a major adjustment for him, to spend more time out in the open. And it wasn't always easy for him to do. Even now.

But when he laid eyes on the bubblegum pink beauty climbing the hill as she approached, it was a marvelous reminder that making this adjustment could be a very worthwhile endeavor for him.

Could there ever be a more beautiful sight than Queen Poppy, running towards, of all trolls, him?

Impossible.

"Here! I'm…here," she panted, all bundled up in a warm purple coat. "Sorry I'm late, I had a small decorating crisis I had to see to before I left."

Branch gave a light chuckle. "Can't really fault you for doing your job. That must've been fun for you though."

She waved dismissively. "Just had to help re-string lights after the ones we'd wrapped around the bushes at the edge of the village disrupted a few birds nesting in them. So it wasn't that fun but it had to be taken care of. So that we can have our fun later."

"Mmm," he hummed with a nod of his head. "Well, keep that mindset for skating, yea? Like I said before, it might not be exactly what you were expecting."

She shrugged, placing her arms behind her back. "That's alright. I braved the forest, this is just skating. I can handle whatever you dish out."

The smirk was taking form on his lips before he could stop it. "We'll see how long you last before changing your tune. How are your bruises? I know you want to get started fast, but you don't need to do it in pain."

"No worries! I'm much better. That salve is magical!"

He crossed his arms. "I'll be able to tell pretty quickly if you're lying."

Her dainty brows furrowed over those stunning eyes of hers. God she was beautiful, even when she looked none too pleased.

"Branch, I'm offended! I wouldn't lie to you, you know that! Even if it meant getting what I wanted quicker. I promise, I'm all good now. Cross my heart."

"Alright, alright," he laughed. "In that case, let's head down so we can get started." He pulled his scarf tighter around his neck, trudging through the snow, Poppy at his side. Out of the corner of his eye, he'd catch a glimpse of her sinking into the deeper areas of fallen snow, and then hopping out again as she made her best attempt to keep up with him.

Once they both made it to the lakeside, Poppy stopped, staring ahead, while Branch walked forward, skates meeting the ice with relaxed ease. He glided out to the center of the lake, circling around and skidding to a smooth halt. He frowned when he noticed Poppy gawking at him. "What?" he asked, hit with a surge of self-consciousness.

She shook her head. "Nothing. It's just…you make it look so easy." She narrowed her eyes in a most adorably inquisitive way. "I thought you said you were rusty."

"I am," he said, skating in small loops. "I'll have to reacquaint myself with the ice before trying some of the moves I used to be able to do." He held his arms out at his sides. "Alright. First, I want you to try to skate over to me. Let's see if you can at least manage that."

"Uh…okay," she answered, unsure. She tiptoed to the lake's edge, and when the blades of her skates met the ice, she slid forward, arms flailing as she bent her body in every direction to accommodate for the newfound lack of control. "I-I can't," she mumbled, and Branch could see the fear and uncertainty already dominating her wide-eyed gaze.

"Whoa whoa whoa," he called, hands held up to her. "Try not to flail, it'll just throw off your balance more."

"I'm trying! I mean, I'm trying— _whoa!_ —not to!" she called back as she began to fall forward, teeth clamped in anxiety. Her feet gradually slid farther apart from one another, blades following a path all their own.

"Branch!" she cried.

"Hang on, hang on, I'm coming!" Skating forward in nearly effortless speed, he reached her moments later. "Take my hands," he ordered.

She abruptly grabbed hold, her chest rising and falling in rapid succession as she took shallow gasps of breath.

"It's okay," he assured in a low murmur, holding both her hands securely in his, trying not to let himself get distracted at how warm and soft and positively lovely they felt in his grip.

"Eyes on me," he urged, holding her gaze when she looked up at him. Maintaining focus became that much more difficult as he nearly lost himself in the entire galaxy residing in those glimmering magenta pools.

 _Damn it Branch, focus!_

"I'm sorry," she squeaked out. "I'm just…I can't control my feet, and it's kind of scary. I wasn't scared of falling yesterday but then I crashed and I just…that really hurt, a lot, and I don't want to get hurt like that again."

"Yea I can tell you're freaked out. But you can't let yourself panic, because you'll definitely fall then. So, try to relax a little."

"But I keep feeling like I'm gonna fall."

"You're not gonna fall. I won't let you. Everything's fine, okay? I've got you."

Her fearful expression slowly gave way to a calmer one, full of fond warmth. "Okay…thank you."

He nodded, offering a smile mirroring that same level of fondness. "Okay, the first thing to keep in mind is to make sure you have the correct posture. You have to stand up straight, feet about shoulder width apart. Like this." He planted both his feet on the ice, toes pointed outward, but only slightly. "If you're bending too far forward or backward, gravity is going to pull you down the rest of way."

She mimicked his movements, granted a lot more clumsily, but with her hands tightly gripping his, she felt safe enough to try.

"Good," said Branch. "Now, keep your knees bent. That will help you avoid leaning too far one way or the other. And don't look down. You might want to look down, but the more you do, the less you'll be paying attention to what's ahead of you, and that can be really dangerous. So, knees bent, and try not to look at your feet."

She nodded. "Got it."

"Next, your feet should be leaning inward, not out. Then, you're gonna lift one foot, flex that ankle back, and put your weight on the opposite leg. And push off." He was preparing to demonstrate but her eyes widened again and she frantically anchored her fingers around his. "Nonono, no. No," she insisted, pulling him closer again. "No pushing off. Not yet."

Anyone else would've earned themselves an annoyed, deadpan look. But instead, all Branch could think right then was how undeniably cute he found the pink troll as she was desperately grabbing for him. "Poppy you'll never master advanced moves if you don't give yourself the chance to at least push off. Come on, just try. I'm right here."

Poppy nodded, but she still looked altogether uncertain. "Sure…o-okay…"

He patiently waited, giving her the time she needed to get her bearings. Little by little, she loosened her fingers, lowering one hand, and then the other.

"Back straight, feet slightly apart, ankle flexed backward, weight on your other leg, push off," he reminded, coaching her through each individual step." When she made no attempt to move, Branch decided to show her himself. "Here, watch me." He broke down each part of the basic sequence, gliding cleanly in front of her. "Lean, flex, push off."

She performed each step to the best of her ability, but when she flexed her ankle, she moved it backward too quickly and she began to wobble, throwing her arms out. "Gonna fall, gonna fall!" she shrieked.

Branch reached forward and took her by the hands again. "Poppy, look, if we're going to get anywhere with this, you're going to have to trust me just a little, and you have to trust yourself too. Alright?"

"I know, I know. I'm sorry, it just…it feels like I'm gonna face plant with every tiny move I make!"

"It always feels like that at first, but you can't let that psych you out. As long as I'm in front of you, I won't let you fall. But you can't be afraid of that either. Falling happens, sometimes even when you're really in the zone. But you just can't think about that. Think about the steps, and nothing else."

So she gave it another shot. Again and again, she tried, and persistent as she was, she almost fell every single time. She would pick up her foot, gliding outward in a constant flail, arms windmilling until she could bring herself to a wobbly stop.

Branch watched on, hoping the repetition would serve in her aid, at least to some degree, but with each failed attempt she would make, that hope diminished.

By her tenth try, he could tell aggravation was seizing hold of her, constricting her mind as she frowned deeply in displeasure, her jaw clenched and pink hands balled into fists. "Ugh! Branch, this _isn't_ working!"

"Alright, hold on, let's try a different approach." He skated over and offered her his arm. "Loop your arm around mine, and I'll guide you around the edge."

"Okay, I like that idea _so_ much better."

He huffed an amused chuckle as she linked arms with him, placing her free hand atop his bicep.

"Wow!"

"Wow what?" he asked.

"Nothing!" she quickly amended. "You've just…got some serious muscle there, that's all," she answered, giving his bicep a light squeeze. "No wonder you didn't seem to have any trouble carrying me all the way back to your bunker."

A flush of color bloomed in his cheeks, burning bright crimson. If only he could admit to her how much of a pleasure it had been.

Instead, he cleared his throat and tugged at his scarf. "Thanks," he muttered, failing miserably to hide how flustered he suddenly felt.

She just smiled, biting her lip as she looked ahead. Her visage was an unassuming kind, the glances she'd cast his way every so often sprinkled with such playfully feigned innocence.

It was just so very Poppy. To react in such a way from seeing him blush. Like she'd won some big fantastic prize.

What he didn't know? That was exactly how she viewed it.

As Branch led her around the lake's edge, he tried to keep to a slower pace. "See the way my feet move? Lift, and glide. Not like…what you're doing over there."

"Huh? Wait, what am I doing wrong now?"

"You're not picking your feet up. Which is fine, since I'm supporting you. But when you try to glide on your own, you have to pick your feet up so you can shift your weight and move forward. Otherwise, if you try to do what you're doing, you'll slow down and lose momentum, which means—"

"Wait don't tell me. Falling."

He tossed a quick grin her way. "Catching on quick. But like I said, don't let that be your driving force. Right now, just get familiar with the flow, with the lift and glide."

Poppy skated alongside him, lips pressed together in concentration as she followed his lead and fell into the groove.

After three laps around the perimeter, Branch encouraged her to try it on her own.

It took her a minute or so to adjust to maneuvering on her own, and it was still more of a wobble than a glide, but it was progress.

And before Branch knew it, Poppy was skating in small circles all on her own. And the more she skated, the more he could see her confidence take wing. Where before she kept her arms stiffly outstretched, she reached a point where she felt comfortable enough to lower them, positioning them in various arcs and sweeps, her features relaxed and bright instead of drawn in flustered concentration.

"Look, look I'm doing it, Branch! I'm doing it!" she cheered, giggling as she performed a slow spin.

Arms folded across his chest, Branch kept watching with a gentle, proud smile. "I knew you could."

"You're such an awesome teacher!" she shouted, forearms poised atop her head. She dropped them slowly with the biggest grin as she glided across the ice towards him.

"Just keep in mind we've got lots more ground to cover before the full moon. The lutz and the toe loop are tall orders to fill. But if you stay motivated, this might just happen."

"It has to happen," she corrected, unwavering. "I'm going to give the whole village a performance they'll remember for years to come. I have to. For both my parents. Dad will be counting on me to deliver something just as spectacular as the routines my mother performed. I can't let him down. Or her."

"Poppy, look, I know this is really important to you, but try not to put so much pressure on yourself. It doesn't have to be utter perfection."

"You're wrong, that's exactly what it has to be."

Branch exhaled sharply through his nose. Damn it she was stubborn. Stubborn and overly determined and whimsical…and quick-witted and graceful, and stunning and oh good _god_ he was doing it again.

 _Stop it. You're just helping her skate,_ he mentally berated. _That's it. You're here to help her accomplish a task. This doesn't mean she sees you as anything more, or wants you around for any other reason. Get that through your head._

"Why don't we break and go warm up somewhere?" he offered. He held up a finger when she opened her mouth to, most assuredly, protest a break. "I promise we can come back out and get more practice in later. But you have to take breaks or you'll wear yourself out and it will increase the probability of sprains. And staying out in this kind of cold for too long puts you at risk of getting frostbite. So, let's break for now."

"Okay. It'll be lunchtime before long. Do you have plans?" she asked, and he could swear her question was…hopeful.

"Uh…not exactly. I've got food at the bunker." He shrugged. "I figured I'd just find something to throw together there. Probably a stew of some kind, since it's so cold out. And maybe some berry cider."

"That sounds delicious!"

Did he dare? It was a good middle ground. A rejected lunch invite would be a lot more bearable than others forms of rejection.

"Would you...like to come join me? I have plenty. I mean, not as much as I did before the village was attacked and everyone had to stay here, but I've been able to moderately restock since then."

"I thought you'd never ask!" Whether she knew it or not, her eyelashes fluttered a couple of times as she smiled sweetly. "I'd love to, Branch." After sliding to a stop, she plodded up onto the snowy bank and traded out her crystal skates for a pair of softer fuzzy boots.

He did the same and then the pair headed down the trail that led them to the bunker Branch called home.

Poppy sighed as they made their descent into a warmer realm, and Branch could feel his nose begin to thaw as he wiggled it.

They soon reached the quiet and well-insulated living room, which was right next to the kitchen. Poppy watched on curiously as Branch started a fire in the nearby fireplace. With that done, he gathered up an armful of gourds and other vegetables, which he began methodically slicing one by one. Once finished, he picked up the sliced bits in handfuls and tossed them into a large brass pot. Then, after hanging the pot up over the fire, he switched back and forth between stirring the concoction inside and adding various spices to the mix periodically.

He felt Poppy hovering over his shoulder. In years past, he probably would've snapped at her to back away, but with newfound happiness coursing through him, he didn't find it so obnoxious.

He actually found it rather endearing.

"Anyone ever tell you a watched stew never cooks?" he said in a gentle tease as he added some seasoning.

"I highly doubt that," she responded, rocking back and forth on the balls of her feet. "But whether or not that's true, I'm feeling bored and unhelpful. Can I do something? Ooh, I know! I'll make something sweet to go with the stew. How does gingerbread cake sound?"

He arched a brow hesitantly. "I've…never had that before."

"Never had it? Holy cupcakes, Branch!"

"Am I really missing out on something that extravagant?"

"Yes! We have to rectify this immediately! Biggie makes the best gingerbread cake and he let me take a peek at his recipe. I'll need a few things to make it. So tell me you have cinnamon, ginger, sugar, milk, and flour."

"Uhhh…let's see." He searched the shelves in an alcove of the kitchen where he kept ingredients and other things he used for meal preparation. Minutes later, he was setting down canisters and containers and a small bag of flour. "Fortune smiles upon you."

Poppy squealed in delight. "Ooh and what a lovely smile it is!"

"Sure is," he murmured, having to catch himself before his settled gaze became full on staring.

"Okay," said Poppy, clasping her hands together. "I'll whip this up while you keep an eye on the stew."

Branch did just that as the pink troll flitted about. He spared Poppy a few curious glances as she gathered a bowl and cups and mixing utensils. Then she got right to work, measuring and pouring and mixing, humming a tune as she did.

"Gonna guess you don't have any frosting," she remarked.

"Afraid not."

With a smirk and a shake of her head, she poured the batter onto a pan and carried it to the oven. "The next time I'm out, I'll pick up some things to add to your pantry. You have the basics but you need all the added necessities that every troll should have in their kitchen. Frosting, sprinkles, powdered sugar, syrup, mixed fruits, all of that. Also, you need _way_ more flour than this. I made it work this time with what you had but you should always have like, four times this much on hand."

"But I'm not as big a fan of all that stuff though. Most of this is emergency stock."

"What if you host a big party here and invite all your friends? Or a sleepover? You're going to need all that stuff to feed everyone."

He snorted quietly. The only other troll he'd ever even consider inviting for a sleepover was currently fiddling with the knobs on his oven. And he wouldn't dream of ever entertaining the idea at all. No way she wouldn't laugh in his face and turn him down in the blink of an eye. "I'm still not…too keen on parties."

She shut the oven door and made her way towards him. "Don't worry Branch. I get it, you're still adjusting. And I'm sure you still savor your alone time. I just want you to feel like you're included now." She had her hands behind her back again, eyes sparkling with reserved excitement, both telltale signs he recognized all too well. "Which is why I was hoping you'd attend our big winter welcoming party this year. I know you aren't keen on parties, I hear you loud and clear on that. But I promise it's really fun. There's lots of festive decorations, and dancing and games. And it all takes place in the huge hollow tree at the far end of the village, so everyone will stay nice and warm."

He bit his lip. "Yea? What kind of dancing? Typical freestyle kind of stuff?"

"Yes, but…" She tucked a lock of pink hair behind her ear. "There's partner dancing too, if you like that sort of thing."

Branch quickly spun around to check the stew. That was the excuse he was going with anyways, for the mere notion of partner dancing had another hot blush painting his cheeks.

"That um…that does sound fun," he said, idly stirring at the mix of steaming vegetables and broth before sprinkling a little more seasoning in. "I'm more concerned about getting you prepped for this big routine though. You still have a long way to go."

She placed both hands on her hips. "I think I made great progress today."

"You definitely did," Branch agreed. "I'm not denying that. But we still have to get you actually skating, and then put your jump sequence together. I don't know if you want to add your own spin on it with other moves though." He tossed a playful smirk over his shoulder. "And no, that was not an intended pun."

She bestowed him another of her dazzling smiles and she covered her mouth as a giggle escaped. "Well, anyways, I don't need to have an answer yet. I still have to make invitations. I'd really love if you could make it though."

"I'll…keep it in mind." Clearing his throat, he turned his attention back to the hot stew over the open fire. He spooned a portion out into a bowl and offered it to her. "Here. Careful, it's still pretty hot."

"Thank you," she replied, gladly accepting the bowl. "And when the cake's done, I'll let you have first slice. I have a feeling you're going to like it."

He chuckled, spooning out stew for himself. "We'll see." He set his bowl on the table and retried cups filled with berry cider for the two of them.

The two enjoyed the warm stew, a perfect dish on a snowy day like today. And when the cake was done baking, Branch obliged his guest by eating the first slice. And to his surprise, he found it delicious!

"Wow." He nodded, eyebrows raised as he nodded his approval and took another bite. "It _is_ really good."

"Told ya," she sang out happily, gripping her cup of cider and taking a sip. "I'd be glad to show you how to make it, if you like. And you can show me how to make the stew! Because I have to admit, it tastes amazing too."

He couldn't help but to smile at her praise, even if he felt it wasn't deserved. "It's all in how you season it. But yea, that sounds good to me."

After they'd both had their fill, Poppy helped Branch clean up and then she wandered into an adjacent room in the bunker. Branch followed after her, poking his head around to see her studying the small den.

"What's going on in that mind of yours now?" he wondered aloud.

She turned around, eyes roaming over the walls and furniture. "I was just thinking, it's really cozy in here. But it could use a few added touches."

"Such as?" he prompted in a humored tone. This ought to be good.

She tapped a finger to her chin, pointing out certain areas of the room as she spoke. "You could definitely use some pillows over here, and maybe some flowers on that table. A painting on the wall right over there. I can talk to Harper about that. Ooh, and a throw rug right in the middle of the room here, and then for the couch: a super soft blanket to snuggle up in."

He leaned against the wall, arms crossed and brows quirking, features twisted in a look that screamed 'are you serious right now?'

"I don't snuggle."

"Why not?"

"I just don't. It's not for me."

"Have you ever even tried it?"

"No but—"

"Then how can you say it's not for you? You should give things a try first. You might realize what you're missing out on."

"Eloquently put. But that's not gonna convince me of the need to do any snuggling with anyone, sorry."

"Fair enough," she answered, plopping down on the couch. "You did already give something new a try today, and you do get credit for that. Look at us, we're both improving! Which reminds me, when are we getting back out on the ice?"

"That's up to you. I'm sure your schedule is a lot more packed, being the queen and all."

"Royal duties do keep me busy, that's for sure. But I'll make time for this. It's important. I have to meet with the others about job assignments for the party later today. But would tomorrow afternoon work for you?"

He nodded. "Sure, I can swing that. But right now, you really should try and rest a little, so you can handle what I'm gonna throw at you tomorrow."

"I can't wait." Poppy beamed, patting the spot beside her on the couch. "Why not come sit with me and rest yourself? I'm sure you could use some too."

He mulled it over a few moments, a little more cognizant of the dull ache coursing through his muscles. Maybe resting for a few minutes wouldn't hurt.

Once he was sitting, she inched close to him. "Maybe tomorrow, I can bring you over to my place for dinner and prove to you that fuzzy blankets really are a necessity."

He leaned back, lips twitching into a puckish smirk as he slipped his boots off. "I wish you luck in pleading such a case."

Branch knew a playful argument was crouching on her tongue, ready to strike. But she got distracted by the familiar ' _ting'_ of her Hug Time bracelet, and the nice new one that Branch himself now sported.

Grinning, she threw her arms out. "Hug time!"

His reaction was slower but not any less enthusiastic. And as the beautiful queen wrapped him in one of her wonderfully warm hugs, his eyes slipped closed and he embraced her back, permitting himself a tiny, almost soundless contented hum as he rested his chin atop her shoulder, inhaling the marvelous scent of strawberry with hints of lilac rolling off her body in gentle waves. His soul craved to share so much more with her, but he knew better than to ever ask for more.

When the night of the full moon passed, they'd go back to their lives and this would all be nothing more than a memory to look back on. So he knew he had to make the most of the time he got to spend with her. Because, in his eyes, every second he got to hold her was a gift he didn't feel worthy of receiving, and something to be treasured wholeheartedly.

* * *

 ** _Oh Branch, fret not, time may end up proving those doubts of yours to be false._**

 ** _So, I already have part of the next chapter whipped up, but I felt this was a good stopping point. Think I'll probably have five chapters total and I have lots in store to bring you. I'm so excited to bring it all to life. Doubt it will done by Christmas, like I planned, but I promise to complete it in as timely a manner as I can. Thank you so much for your feedback, I appreciate it more than you know!_**

 ** _Be back soon with the next chapter. Bye for now!_**


	3. Chapter 3 Clouded Perspective

_Hello! I have returned with chapter 3! Let me just pause a minute to admire the comedy of this very event. I, Autumn, am submitting a new chapter to a winter fic, on the cusp of summer though it's still technically spring. Ridiculous, right?_

 _Really really sorry it took me so long, several awful bouts of sickness and lack of a working computer have been the culprit. Please forgive the extreme lateness, and enjoy!_

* * *

Chapter 3 Clouded Perspective

* * *

Branch was not, in any way, shape, or form, a prideful troll; that title was already claimed by a few other inhabitants of the village. But if there was anything he did take pride in, it was his observant nature. He was always able to learn so much simply through watching and listening. And in the short amount of time he'd served as her skating coach, he learned a great deal about Poppy and how she ticked.

She was impatient, for starters, but enthusiastic. Impulsive but perseverant. Someone who, though confident, flourished from affirmation like a dancing flame in the night.

He watched the way her hands trembled and the gleaming smile that broke out across her face whenever he complimented a clean landing she'd make after a small jump. It was almost too adorable for words. How could someone be so damn cute? It was maddening!

And her determination stopped at nothing when she wanted something badly enough. Of course, he'd learned that long before the arrival of the snowy season. There was a time he found it exasperating, but now it was something he found himself admiring about her. No matter how hard the task she was faced with happened to be, under his guidance, she would confront it with her 'bring it on' attitude and keep failing until her efforts brought about success at last.

And then she'd keep going. Keep trying, keep doing, ready for the next jump, the next step sequence, the next spin. Until she was too tired to stand.

But even then, she'd always manage to get back up again.

"How's my grapevine?" she shouted across the small lake to her coach.

"Better," he shouted back. "Very smooth."

She flashed a warm smile, ending the freestyle move with a slow spin. "Come on, come do it with me!"

Branch heaved a tired chuckle as he propped himself up against a tree stump. "You're wearing me out, Poppy."

She stopped, inertia causing her to edge a few inches forward. "What? Seriously? You can help an entire group of giant creatures see the light and change their ways and escape a crazed knife-wielding chef in the process, but you can't keep up with me on the ice?" She gave him a playful smirk and clicked her tongue, producing the all too familiar _tsk-tsk-tsk_ sound. "That's a shame, Branch."

He grinned and shook his head, stepping back onto the ice and skating right towards her. "I never said that!"

"Yea?!" she shot back, excited laughter coating her voice. "Well then prove it! Let's make this single grapevine a double!"

He skated over to her side and held his hand out. "Alright. See if you can stay in step with me."

Poppy held tight to Branch's hand as the pair moved in a continuous string of criss-crossing steps and slides. And when they reached the edge, Branch spun around, holding tight to Poppy as he did so.

Poppy gasped in a comical combination of alarm and delight. Her blades lightly dug into the ice while she clutched at him.

"You haven't taught me this!" she shrieked, laughing.

"I'm improvising," he replied, giving an impish little grin.

"Straying from the plan? Someone's venturing from their comfort zone. I like that."

He gently twirled her around, her nose brushing his when she stopped and faced him once more.

"Know what _I_ like?"

"Hmm?" Poppy hummed, eyes wondrous and wide. A true vision of beauty.

"Spending time with you," he murmured, letting a fingertip trail against her jawline.

He could feel her relax against his frame, could hear her sighing as she smiled. "Feeling's mutual, Branch."

If the practical part of his mind wasn't such a controlling stick in the mud, he would throw all his caution to the wind and prove that he really meant what he said. But the echoing cackles of fear bounced around in his ears, and the urge was ignored yet again.

But that didn't mean they couldn't still have a bit of innocent fun, right?

"Hey…you wanna try a lift?"

Poppy quirked a brow at him. "What's that? Is it hard?"

"Not really. Just takes a little bit of trust. Think you can handle that?"

She grinned, her nose crinkling. "Try me."

"Okay. First we start facing each other, and one of us skates forward, the other one skates back." When Poppy's eyes widened, it made him chuckle. "I'll let you skate forward, if that would be easier."

It was slow and unsteady at first, but then as Poppy fell into a nicer flow, they began to move as one, Poppy maneuvering forward as Branch would glide back. When Branch felt that she had gotten the hang of the difference in direction, he went on.

"Now, put one hand one my shoulder, and I'm going to put mine on your waist. And as we circle, bend one knee and lift the other one up and out, and I'll do the rest. But take it slow, don't rush yourself."

She nodded, following his lead. For a fleeting moment, he wondered if she was enjoying being held as much as he enjoyed holding her.

"Like this?" she asked, bending one knee, stretching the other out and pointing her toe.

"Just like that," he answered, gradually lowering them both. Beneath her bended knee, he kept one palm anchored to secure her, encouraging her to hold her other arm out to keep balance.

Then, gradually, he pulled them both into a graceful spin, holding Poppy up in the air. The world around them became a blur, wind grazing their arms and whipping at tendrils of hair, her dress and his cloak billowing out around them as they spun. But the only thing Poppy and Branch could see clearly was the other's gaze as their eyes locked.

"It feels like flying," Poppy whispered excitedly.

"Kinda does, doesn't it?" Smile wide and warm, he kept that same secure grip on her until their spinning slowed completely.

"That was so cool!" Poppy cheered as they faced each other again. "Could we do another one?"

"We might should start working on piecing together your routine—"

"What if I added one of these to my routine?"

Branch frowned. "But it's a routine for one."

She held her hands behind her back in the most sweetly unassuming way. "So then, let's make it a pairs routine."

"What?"

"That's a thing…right?"

"I mean, sure, but—"

"Then let's do it!"

"Whoa whoa whoa, stop." He held up a palm to her. "This is about you and your family tradition you're bringing back. I don't really think I should get involved."

Poppy scoffed in jest, the sound lighthearted as she placed a hand on her hip. "You're my coach, you're already involved."

He bit his lip, head already beginning to shake. "Yea but not like that…I just don't wanna take the focus off of you. This is your time to shine. Not mine."

"I've gotten plenty of those times already, Branch. I don't mind sharing the spotlight. In fact, I think it would be really fun."

Unease grabbed Branch right by the gut. Helping Poppy learn how to skate was one thing, but skating _with_ her in front of hundreds of other trolls? Taking part in a sacred royal tradition? That was on a whole other level. What would the others say or think?

"Okay look," said Poppy, easily picking up on his hesitation. "You don't have to say yes, but before you say no, just keep it in mind, think it over? Yes, it's my family tradition but I'm the one bringing it back, so I think I should be able to decide who can be part of it, don't you?"

Branch didn't answer.

"Alright alright, no pressure. Just…promise me you'll at least think about it?"

He was silent for several long moments, but finally nodded. "Okay, I can do that."

She bestowed him with another of her blindingly gorgeous smiles. "Perfect! Now, show me another one of those lifts?" she pleaded.

He mulled it over for another moment or so, pretty quick to give in, all things considered. "Guess I shouldn't be in the business of trying to refuse the Queen, mm?"

"Stop," she giggled, nudging his arm, but her expression quickly became serious. "Don't think you have to do anything for me just because I'm the queen. I don't ever want you to feel like that."

"Alright then, I'll do it for _you_ , not because you're the queen. But because I love to see you smile."

In the time it took Poppy to stop blushing, Branch had skated to the far end of the lake. "You skate to the other end," he called over his shoulder.

"Think I can handle that," she called in return.

Once they had both reached their respective sides, Branch skated forward. "Now, when I start forward, you meet me in the center, and once you're close enough, I'll lift you. But you have to move fast, because momentum is your secret weapon with this move."

She nodded, prepping herself.

"Ready?"

"Ready!"

"Go!" Like a vibrant bolt of blue lightning, he zipped right down the center of the ice.

Poppy took off as well, feet overlapping as she tried to build up speed. She raced ahead to reach Branch at the center of the ice, but as she got closer, Branch could see fear start to pool across her features. Uh oh…

"Don't slow down," he ordered, already bracing for the impact.

"But I don't—wait I-I—agghh!" She suddenly screamed, losing her footing. She would've run smack into him, but, being proactive, he shot both arms out to catch her. And instead of what would have most surely been a very painful collision, they slipped and slid until finally tumbling and falling over. In an effort to keep her from getting hurt, Branch pulled Poppy against him so that he ended up lying on his back and she halfway on her side and halfway on his chest.

The two both groaned, Poppy the first to react. She gasped and leaned down. "Gah, Branch I'm so sorry! I just got scared that I was going to run into you and hurt you!" Her ears dropped in remorse. "Looks like I hurt you anyway. I'm sorry, are you okay?"

Chuckling, he looked up at her. "I'm fine. Relax, I'm not made of glass."

"Are you sure? Like, totally sure?"

"Totally," he answered in a jokingly flat tone. "My hip broke the fall. All good, promise. And I've got my trusty salve if bruises pop up later. But I'm fine."

She didn't look completely convinced but her words did calm him back down. "Well, that was a total crash and burn." She grinned down at him sheepishly.

That had him laughing again, the sound fading as everything was brought into focus a little more. There he lay, on the freezing cold ice, the beautiful pink troll leaning over him in worried concern, one delicate hand resting on his collarbone, her soft breath intermingling with his.

 _Kiss her, damn it. Kiss her! You're an idiot if you don't kiss her right now!_ his mind bellowed.

"There they are! Hey Poppy! Branch!"

The two looked up to see their friends descending the hill and heading straight for the lake.

Well, that was the end of that moment. Probably for the best, all this laying on the ice was hypothermia waiting to happen.

 _Idiot idiot IDIOT!_

Branch quieted his mind's own cruel rant long enough to get back to his feet and then help Poppy up.

She skated over to the bank, throwing out a little wave. "Hey guys!"

Guy Diamond led the group, his normally bare body covered in warm pieces of clothing, including a puffy red coat, plaid scarf, gloves and boots. The twins, DJ, Smidge, Biggie, and Fuzzbert followed. And trailing behind, as he had gotten distracted by listening to two birds serenade each other on a snow-covered tree limb, strolled Cooper.

"We wanted to see how the routine was coming along," said Smidge, smirking at the two. "But that didn't exactly look like skating to me."

"We were skating," Branch quickly assured. "We just…we fell."

Smidge's smirk only grew as she narrowed her eyes. "Mhm."

Poppy smiled and rolled her eyes, taking off her skates and approaching her glitter troll friend. "Guy, you're looking super warm and cozy today! I love your coat, red's such a good color on you!"

"Thanks," he answered in an almost falter, displaying a close-lipped smile that lacked his usual exuberance as he looked down at himself. "It…feels weird. Having to wear clothes. But it's better than freezing to death I suppose."

"Don't worry," Poppy answered with a sweet smile of understanding. "Soon the snow will melt and the warm weather will come back and then you can go back to baring all!"

"I sort of like the winter weather, actually," Biggie offered. "True it might be cold outside, but there's so much to do in the snow that you can't do the rest of the year. Like building snowtrolls or going sledding!"

"Yea!" DJ jumped in. "And when it snows I love to take my board out and hit the hills!"

"Or have a snowball fight of truly epic proportions!" Smidge shouted, pumping her tiny fists in the air.

Fuzzbert nodded to show that he concurred.

Chenille smirked, a hand resting on a slender popped hip. "And the colder weather gives us the opportunity to try out new fashion for other trolls to flaunt. We've come up with some pretty stylish creations this year."

Satin nodded fervently at her sister's side. "My favorite is the new custom scarf line! Made with real puffalo wool, so they're really soft, and each one is embroidered with an applique of your choice!"

Biggie put a finger to his lip with the free hand that wasn't holding Mr. Dinkles protectively. "It doesn't hurt them when you take their wool, does it?"

"Oh no! Not at all," Chenille assured. "We get it from the local puffalo herder. He collects the wool by shearing it; he told us they actually enjoy it. And they always leave plenty of wool for each one to stay warm."

Cooper leaned down and rubbed his cheek against the wool. "Ooooh, they _are_ really soft! I want one!"

Satin giggled and reached into her hair. "I don't have a custom one for you yet, but I do have one made here that you can try for now." She took Cooper's excited gasp as approval of the idea and proceeded to wrap the fuchsia scarf around his long neck.

He stamped his feet in delight. "Yaaay! Fuzzy neck noodles! Mmmm, I feel all nice and toasty like a marshmallow! Thanks Satin!" He craned his neck and struck a pose to show off the garment, poking his lips out in a dramatic pout.

A chorus of laughter rang throughout the group of friends.

Smidge stepped forward. "Sooo, how _is_ the skating going?" she asked, eyebrows wiggling knowingly, glance sweeping over to settle on a very unassuming Branch.

"It's going great!" Poppy answered. "Branch was kind enough to take me through an entire crash course! We started with the basics and went from there. I had no idea there was so much involved in learning how to skate. I mean, you know, the way my mom used to."

"Branch, I didn't know you could skate!" said Guy.

"Oh...yea, it's not that big of a deal." He shrugged.

"You don't have to be modest," said Chenille. "Sounds pretty cool if you ask me. Not that you'll ever catch me out there."

"Aww come on Sis," her twin attempted, eyes already sparkling as she looked out at the ice, standing up on the tiptoes of her glittery coral-colored snow boots. "It looks really fun!"

"You don't even know how though," Chenille laughed. "Besides, we'd need skates, like theirs."

"Oh…that's true." Satin hummed thoughtfully. "I wonder how hard they are to make…"

"Not very," said Branch, eyes popping wide as he rushed forward and caught Poppy before that precious balance of hers was lost again. An appreciative giddy little giggle fell off her lips as she gazed up at him, and Branch's heartbeat took off again, thumping to an unsteady metronome all its own. He could feel himself grinning back at her, not looking at Satin as he gave her the rest of the answer he still owed. "Just some iron and heat and some properly sized moldings. And all the other footwear necessities."

The twins exchanged glances but said nothing more.

"Well, don't just stand there," sad Guy. "Show us how it's done, Master Skater."

"I'm really not that—"

"Show us! Show us, show us, show us!" Smidge chanted, and the others were boarding the chant train as if purely by reflex, chanting loudly right along with her.

He looked to the excitable bunch and then to Poppy, who shrugged with that ever present bubbly little smile of hers.

"Don't feel pressured," she told him. "You don't have to, but you are a really impressive skater. So if it's lack of confidence holding you back, please don't let it."

He then turned back to the group and held his hands up. "Alright alright, guess I can show you a few things."

The others watched in rapt interest as Branch started a graceful trek around the frozen lake. Even Poppy planted herself on the sidelines for a better view.

He'd skate forward a few paces, and then kick one of his feet up and perform a spin in midair, landing cleanly on his other foot before circling back around and executing another jump.

After another maneuver in mid-air, he skated backwards in continuous loops, eventually circling around to stop in front of the gathered trolls. "All there is to it," he stated plainly.

He was met with a clamor of amazed voices, cheering and applause.

"Man that was killer!" exclaimed DJ.

"You make it look so easy!" Biggie remarked in a stunned tone.

"Those were some wild moves you pulled off in your funny-lookin' shoes, Branch!" noted Cooper. "Respect!"

"They're skates, actually, but thank you."

"Okay okay hold on," said Guy. "So, if I find a pair of shoes like yours—"

"Skates," Branch corrected again.

"Right, skates, got it. If I can get my hands on a pair, could you teach me how to do that?"

"I could teach you if you like," another voice offered.

They all looked up to see Aspen Heitz jogging down the hillside. By the time he'd stopped, he was out of breath. He placed both hands on his knees, giving himself a few moments to catch said breath. "I…" he panted. "I overheard a few trolls saying you all were going to the lake to meet up with Branch and Poppy." He panted again. "To see them skate. And I wanted in!" He held a finger up, to let them know he needed another moment. Then he stood back up straight. "But I outgrew my old pair of skates years ago…Branch, do you think you could let me borrow yours? I didn't know anyone still even had skates. Seeing you out there gave me the itch to do it again, and it's positively unbearable. Please? Just for a lap or two."

Poppy's ears perked in interest, eyes wide. "Wai-wai-wai-wait. _You_ skate too, Aspen?"

"Oh I used to all the time! I might've been just a little pipsqueak, but I could tear up the ice like no one's business!" His gaze drifted from Poppy back to Branch then, eyes filled with hope. "Please?" he asked once more.

Branch only shrugged. "I don't see why not. I can't promise they'll fit, but you can try. Just be careful with them. They belonged to my dad."

Aspen nodded vigorously, practically bouncing up and down as the blue troll handed over his prized possessions. "Thank you!" Aspen cried as he laced up one skate, then the other. "I didn't even know anyone still skated! This is just so crazy!" They fit a little loosely, but they'd do the trick!

The gathered group watched as Aspen took to the ice like a fish to water. He leapt and whirled at astonishing speed. Granted, his movements were somewhat rigid and forceful, but that didn't detract from how much of a natural he was at the sport.

Of course, athleticism had always been an undeniable strength and passion of his.

A flip here, an axel there, and then a double toe loop, one right after the other. He ended with a rather dangerous-looking spin involving several revolutions in the air. When he touched down, he threw both his hands up victoriously. The ice had definitely took a beating, as he'd given the top layer a thorough shave with all his daredevil stunts.

His friends cheered, the group crowding around Aspen when he made it back onto the snowy bank.

"Whoa Aspen! You brought that icy house down!"

"That was truly incredible!"

"Meep!"

"How do you do all of that?! I can't even stand on ice without my boots on, it's so slippery!"

"I had no idea we had so much talent in the village! First Branch, now you, Aspen." Poppy shook her head in delighted disbelief. "You guys are just full of surprises!"

Were he to say the wasp of jealousy hadn't stung him right then and there, Branch would be the biggest liar in Troll Village. It was immature and childish, and he knew that, so he hid the ache for everything he was worth. But ache it did, and deeply. To have the one thing he thought may make him stand out in, for once, a good way, and see someone else outshine him so quickly.

After wiping sweat from his brow with his forearm, he unfastened Branch's skates and walked over to him. "Branch, thank you so much. I forgot what it felt like, to fly on the ice. I…feel like myself again!" He laughed aloud, shimmering eyes displaying undeniable gratitude.

"Uh…yea, no problem," Branch answered, gingerly taking the skates. Seconds later, he was already at work brushing the bits of ice off them and discreetly looking them over for damage.

Then Branch suddenly hatched an idea that was one part thoughtful and generous and one part clandestinely selfish. "You know, it wouldn't be that hard to make you a new pair, Aspen."

"Oh Branch that would be amazing if you could!" The orange troll shrugged and shook his head back and forth. "I've never worked with iron a day in my life, I wouldn't even know where to begin."

"You don't need iron, per se, you just need some sort of stone or material strong enough to cover your feet while you skate."

"Mine are made of a rare kind of crystal my dad found in a cave somewhere beyond the forest," Poppy explained.

"Yours are so beautiful, Poppy!" Chenille gushed. "I'd love to get my hands on gems like that, we could make pretty skates like that for other trolls."

Satin gasped, looking at her sister. "We could even make skates for—"

"—the whole village!" the siblings finished concurrently.

"Eeee, come on Sis!" Chenille cheered. "It's time to brainstorm some designs! To the studio!" She hip bumped Satin, and both waved to their friends. Then they raced back up the hill and out of sight.

"Poppy, you don't know how stoked this makes me," Aspen said, still practically bouncing from his previous adrenaline burst. "To think skating might actually make a comeback! This just makes winter that much more exciting! Now I can tear up the ice, and the dance floor!"

Poppy adjusted her boots and smoothed her bangs back into place. "Guess that means we'll be seeing you at the big Winter Welcoming party."

"Wouldn't miss it for all the skitterboards in the world! All I need is a dance partner." He strolled right over to her and dipped her with a suave grin. "You wouldn't happen to have anyone in mind, would you?"

"Oh I just might," she sang, the two sharing a laugh. The kind trolls in on a secret might share.

Branch quietly watched them interact and could feel a knot forming deep in his stomach. He didn't know whether to be hurt or angry or neither. Of course someone else would be after the chance to take Poppy for a whirl around the dance floor. She was the queen for crying out loud.

"Branch are you going?" DJ asked.

"To the party?" He shrugged. "I haven't really decided yet."

"You should definitely check it out. I've got lots of new tracks I'll be debuting for it! I'll be giving a little demo after the concert tomorrow night."

"Speaking of the concert, it's almost time for rehearsal," Biggie spoke up. "We should probably be heading back to get ready, I always like to get a full vocal warm-up in beforehand."

"I gotta go help set up the instruments," Smidge added.

Poppy turned to Branch. "I promised Biggie and Smidge that I would watch their rehearsal tonight and give them feedback on it. It's the first one they're having with the band. But, could we meet up, say tomorrow, after lunch?"

"Yea, that sounds great."

"Awesome! And you're welcome to tag along tonight, if you'd like."

"Nah, I wanna preserve the magic when I see it the night of. Besides I got a few chores I need to see to tonight." He offered them a small smile. "But uh, have fun. Hope rehearsal goes smoothly."

They thanked him and left the lake the way they'd come, Poppy falling into step with her friends, chattering happily all the way.

Soon, everyone was gone and he was all alone again.

To keep himself from dwelling on his newfound troubles, Branch threw himself right into those chores. And the first one on the list was to gather firewood.

He worked until nightfall, both inside the bunker and out, busying his worried mind with restocking, rearranging, and cleaning.

Ordinarily, he'd be ready for bed about this time. But tonight, his pesky mind didn't crave sleep nearly as much as it craved answers. He tried reading, drinking tea, and showering. Nothing worked. He was completely wired.

He sat up in bed with a scowl, staring at his skates across the room, where they lay by the door.

…what would it hurt? It was worth a try.

Eventually, he answered his own soul's siren song and found himself right back out on the lake. It was time to stop avoiding his thoughts and address them. And while he skated around the lake, alone, in the dark of night, that's exactly what he did.

 _What am I supposed to do?_ he asked himself. _If I go to the party, I have to take part in formal partner dancing. And mingling, and I'm not all that good at either. But if I don't go, then I risk the possibility of Poppy ending up dancing the night away in someone else's arms_ …

He wasn't sure he was willing to risk that.

But then, what if made his feelings known, and she brushed him off? Then he would've taken a giant leap of faith only to fall down into the chasm of devastation. Was unearthing the truth worth the hurt that could be waiting on the other side?

Who was he, to consider himself even worthy of having her hand? After the way he'd treated her during their first adventure to rescue their friends. Memories had him cringing as he remember the scathing tone he used to constantly rain on her parade.

Maybe she was better off without him.

Then again…when all was said and done, it was he and he alone who had helped restore her color and the color of every single troll that had been captured and thrown into a giant cooking pot. Was such a deed enough to redeem him, to make him worthy of having Poppy's heart?

Over and over and over, he reviewed this dilemma in his mind, all the while skating lap after lap around the lake.

Eventually he started getting tired and began losing traction. After the third near slip and fall, he growled loudly in frustration.

"What do I do?" he muttered helplessly to the sky.

"First of all, if you're trying to get the moon to answer you, it's not going to happen. That's not how he communicates."

Upon hearing the all too familiar voice, Branch spun around. Sure enough, there on the lake, stood Cloud Guy. He was wearing his own set of skates that seemed to be made of an intricate blend of cloud and ice.

Cloud Guy wiggled his fingers. "He signs."

Branch blinked in annoyed disbelief.

"Cloud Guy? How did you—how are you even here right now? Clouds don't come out at night…" His brow furrowed like a startled caterpillar. "…do they?"

"Ever heard of noctilucence, my aqua amigo?" Without waiting for an answer, Cloud Guy skated by and whirled around in swift, fluid circles. "Granted, noctilucent clouds aren't so much actual clouds as they are large clusters of ice crystals, but it's the same principle."

"How…how is it the same at all?"

"Because ice, water, and vapor? All three in the same, just differing forms." Cloud Guy lifted one leg and propelled himself forward, spinning on the front edge of his blade. "It's kind of like love. You can love your best friend, or someone you want to be with romantically. Different states with different guidelines, but at the core, still love."

Branch scowled. "That's a weird comparison to settle on."

"Is it now? I think it's pretty fitting, considering your 'situation'."

The scowl on his face darkened. "What are you talking about? I'm just skating."

"I'm talking about how you're battling against your feelings for Poppy. You can deny it if you want to, but your walls aren't as reinforced as they once were. I'm guessing you've got her to thank for that, eh?"

He glared back as Cloud Guy kicked one of his feet up and executed a flawless triple lutz.

"I'm just helping her skate," Branch insisted. "That's it. This is important to her and she came to me for help, so I'm helping her because I'm…I'm…"

"Her friend? Who really wants to dive further, see how deep this water really runs?"

"NO!" Branch nearly snarled, teeth gritted.

Cloud Guy simply smiled, hands clasped as performed an upright spin, following it with a graceful arabesque. "Stress not, my conflicted compadre. You don't have to plead your case to me. Actions speak so much louder than words. I've already seen the truth play out before my very eyes."

In silent frustration, Branch could only watch as Cloud Guy took off across the ice, pulling off an impressive series of jumps and spins before looping back around. "Why do you fight it so hard? It's obvious she's taken with you and you with her. What's the problem?"

"The _problem_ is…" Branch sighed. "Is that we're as impossibly different as we can be. Poppy, she's…she's so warm and sweet and bright. Ready to take on anything the world dishes out, and she does it with the most blindingly beautiful smile. She's sunny and cheerful and has more heart inside her than she knows what to do with. And I'm…not. And I don't." His pointed ears dropped, eyes cast down to the snowy ground. "I'm…withdrawn and slow to trust and like spending time by myself in the quiet. She likes to party, I like to read. I like to have a plan for things, she wants to skip right by the planning and just go for it. We each look at the world through a completely different set of eyes. And as much as I care about her…" His eyes slipped closed, a tormented frown pulling at his jaw. "I think she deserves to be with someone who sees the world the same way she does."

"Ah but two different viewpoints coming together means getting to show the other what they might be missing out on. Opposites aren't a bad thing, Branch. Our world is run by opposing forces, they keep each other in check. The land is there to show the ocean how far to come. Flowers need sun and rain to stay alive but too much or not enough of either and they would die. Opposites help to achieve a sense of harmony. And harmony isn't about staying one way all the time; it's about finding balance and appreciating the push and pull that comes with the role you choose to play in it all."

Branch stood there, dumbfounded, wondering if he'd just dreamt up this bizarre yet profound encounter. But the chilling wind tousling his hair and stinging his nose told him otherwise.

"What?" asked a very unassuming cloud on skates.

"Nothing…I just…that's pretty insightful…"

Cloud Guy shrugged, legs twirling almost boredly as he flipped in the air and landed on one blade. "Not really. I just pay attention. But in a different way than you do. And if _you_ would stop paying attention to the wrong things and focus on the right ones, it could help open up those troubled eyes of yours, Mr. High Five Denied. But, then again, what do I know? I am, after all, just a cloud." Reaching the lake's edge, he removed his literal ice skates, tying them together and setting them across his shoulders as he retrieved his socks from where he'd draped them over a rock. He casually put one sock on, then the other, turning to face Branch with one of his trademark relaxed smirks. "Well, I hope you figure everything out. Just keep in mind, a tango for two may be the way to sweep a lady off her feet, but if you don't follow the music, someone else may ask her to dance first. And you may not be promised a second song."

Without waiting for a response from the dumbfounded troll, he padded down the trail, disappearing around the base of a large snowy hill in the distance.

And like a vapor in the wind, he was gone.


	4. Chapter 4 Finding Warmth

Chapter 4 Finding Warmth

* * *

"Just a little more to the right. A tiny bit more, annnd…there! That looks perfect!"

"Ugh, _finally_!" Glad to be done with battling a particularly bristly strand of garland, Smidge wiped her brow and climbed back down the ladder. "Oh my god, my hands feel like they've been mauled by a pricklerat."

"Sorry Smidge," laughed Poppy. "Gotta admit though, those little guys are cute, despite being so…ya know, prickly."

Back on solid ground, Smidge walked over to join her best friend, looking up to admire the result of all their hard work.

Tonight was the night. After weeks of rehearsals, it was almost time for their big winter concert. And even though she wouldn't be performing herself tonight, Queen Poppy was right in the middle of all the hustle and bustle. She kept very busy helping the troll musicians make sure their instruments were in tune, touching up the paint on the backdrop, jumped right into adding the finishing touches to all of the decorations. And it truly was a marvelous sight to behold.

"It looks fantastic!" Smidge yelled, her voice echoing back at her from every direction imaginable.

"It really does," Biggie agreed. "Thank you so much for helping us decorate, Poppy."

She smiled and gave a dismissive wave of her hand. "More than happy to help. Decorating is my middle name! …okay it's not but it might as well be." She tapped a finger to her chin thoughtfully, her gaze sweeping over the stage. "You think we're missing anything?"

"Lights, ribbon, stage, performers," Smidge listed off before shaking her head. "Nope! That's everything."

" _We're_ not missing anything, but Poppy is," said Guy Diamond as he strolled up. A cheeky little knowing grin plastered on his face, he sauntered right over to Poppy and placed two fingers on her arm, walking them up her shoulder. "She's short one absolutely dashing skating coach."

Eyes wide, she quickly swatted Guy's hand away, but was beaming from ear to ear. "Guy!" she tittered. "Stop it."

"Ooh is he going to be in attendance?" Biggie asked, hugging Mr. Dinkles close and adjusting the teeny bowtie on his jacket.

"I made it very clear during our last practice session that he was invited, but I don't want him feeling pressured at all, or getting overwhelmed."

Smidge crossed her arms, lips quirking in a half-smile. "Yea, baby still spooks pretty easily."

"I'd say he's getting much better," said Biggie. "I think the best thing for us to do is just be patient with him. Give him the time he needs to—"

" _Branch out_?" Guy joked, flashing a big goofy grin.

It wasn't his best comedic work, but his friends still gave him a courtesy snicker. Smidge face-palmed hard enough that it made Poppy flinch.

"You're right," Poppy agreed, turning to Biggie. "We just need to be there for him if he comes and be understanding if he doesn't."

"Poppy, love, you needn't worry about us at all," Guy Diamond assured her, the other two nodding in agreement. "We're going to shine brighter than the stars regardless of who's here to play witness."

Biggie pulled a mirror from his hair and studied his appearance, turning his head this way and that. "Still, it would be nice if he'd come watch."

"Forget watching!"

The group all turned to see Satin and Chenille sashaying towards them. It had been Chenille who'd offered her two cents. "With golden pipes like he has, he should be on stage with everyone else."

Satin's head bobbed enthusiastically, a dreamy look in her eyes as she clasped her hands together. "It's true," she swooned, "he's got a voice that could bring the meanest growlbeast to tears! It's a major shame he doesn't sing more often." Her attention was suddenly diverted when her sister caught sight of Guy's necktie, loosely knotted and rather crooked. "Guy, your tie's a total disaster." Chenille snapped her fingers, pointing to the space on the ground in front of her. "Here. _Now_."

Poppy bit her lip to stifle another giggle as Guy rolled his eyes and trudged over so the twins could fuss over his mess of a tie. "Well, as true as that may be, I don't see that happening." Even if she wanted it to happen just as badly as everyone else; she'd only had the great fortune of hearing Branch sing a few times at most.

Maybe she secretly wanted her own personal concert.

Poppy mentally smacked herself, and _hard_. As she tried her utmost to ignore the blood growing molten hot in her veins, she rubbed her hands together. "Okay, as much as I wish we could talk the night away, you all need to go join the others for the group warm-up. I'm being a distraction." She made a shooing motion with both hands. "Hop to it. And have fun tonight, you're gonna do great!"

They thanked her and started to disperse, Guy Diamond being the last. Once he received precious approval from the twins, he followed the others but not before glancing back over his shoulder. "Hopefully you get to do some warming up of your own this evening too, Poppy love." He winked at her, and with that, jogged ahead to catch up with his chorus mates.

She wandered back to find a seat, but being that it was early, not many audience members were milling about yet. Every section still had plenty of rows that were completely empty. First, she tried out the seat nearest her. But quickly found it was too close to the stage. So she moved to another that was farther away. But she wondered if the acoustics would be better in the center.

By the time she finally settled on a seat that was to her liking, she'd caught sight of a ribbon bow adorning a column that needed a _little_ adjusting. And while she was up, she figured some of the other decorations could use extra sprucing up too. From one end of the courtyard to the other she zipped, rearranging and refining, humming an upbeat tune to herself all the while.

As audience members started filing in, she slipped away from fussing over the elaborately festive décor and happily switched over to mingling with her subjects, something she never grew tired of doing.

The courtyard filled up in no time, and Poppy broke away from the crowd so she could make it back to the seat she'd picked out. And she'd saved one beside her. Just in case.

The later it got, however, the more her hope began to dwindle down. The courtyard was now overflowing with groups of friends, couples and families, and she found it difficult to overlook the fact that she very well could be the only one sitting alone tonight. But taking her own advice, she knew better than to let it get to her.

The spotlight was cast and the curtain opened to reveal the entire company. Chatter all around fell to a hush, and Poppy stared ahead, biting her lip, trying not to let the ache of disappointment grab hold.

It was then that a familiar earthy scent tickled her nose. She looked up, gasping in delight to see Branch had made it after all. He waved, almost shyly. "Hey," he whispered, pointing to the empty seat next to her. "This seat taken?"

Pursing her lips, she crossed one leg over the other and folded her hands in her lap. "Yes, actually. By my skating coach. You haven't happened to see him around anywhere, have you?"

A quiet chuckle fell off his lips as he sat. "Sorry I'm late."

She waited until his gaze wandered back toward the stage as Biggie stepped into the spotlight, probably for a solo. Then she shifted closer to whisper in his ear. "I'm just happy you're here."

She couldn't be sure if it was how close she'd been to him or what she'd said, but something had caused him to give an involuntary shiver. So small it could've so easily been missed.

Oh but she caught it.

Incredibly pleased with herself, she turned back to watch the concert.

Upon its conclusion, Branch went with Poppy and the others to a large pod in the heart of the village that served as a place for the trolls to congregate when the weather was cold or rainy. It was appropriately deemed the "Party Pod" and tonight, it was where the after-party for the concert was being held.

To his credit, Branch was making really great strides with everyone. It was a slow process, but with every interaction, he was warming up to his fellow villagers little by little.

That didn't negate the fact that he wasn't as enthusiastic a party animal as his friends. A return of one's true colors is a miraculous gift, yes, but it didn't erase all the fear and anxiety piled on after years spent in isolation.

He did make the effort to engage with the others, however, enjoying a little dancing and light conversation.

But his social endurance was still pretty quick to wear thin. And after four songs, the music had grown loud enough to give him a slight headache. The flashing lights were making him see double and he instinctively shied away. A group of trolls tried to pull him towards the front for a session of crowd surfing, and he politely declined, skin crawling with every step he took backward.

At one point, everyone gathered close together on the dance floor, all jumping in time to the music, some affectionately rubbing against one another.

And _that_ was his cue.

Glancing around uneasily, he crept away to find a quieter area of the pod. Fortune smiled upon him when he stumbled upon a small room with a set of bean bag chairs and a large window that looked out over the village. Shoulders falling as he felt himself relax, he breathed out a sigh and walked over to the window. He peered out over the snowy world below. A chilling wind blew by, but he welcomed it. Things had gotten a little heated back in the crowd. He closed his eyes, head tilted back as the breeze gently grazed his hair and called his senses.

"Had all you could take?"

His eyes snapped open but he didn't turn around. He simply waited for her to join him. She was smiling, but her eyes were unmistakably apologetic.

"Yea…I'm sorry." The threat of shame trickled into his psyche and he chanced a quick glance at her from the side. But his gaze was swift to retreat back to the window. A much more boring but safer thing to focus on.

"Branch," she murmured softly, placing a hand on his shoulder straightaway. "There's nothing to be sorry about. This was a big step for you! You're trying to reconnect and believe me, it shows. That's all that really matters. You'll get there on your time, and that's perfectly okay."

Deep blue eyes flickered back over to meet Poppy's gaze, and he could feel the smile pulling at his lips. "Thank you. You know, it's really unlike you, to practice patience. Never thought I'd see the day."

Snorting, she elbowed him lightly. "Well hey, while you're out here trying new things, I might as well too, right?"

Screams and a loud crashing sound had them both looking back towards the party room.

Poppy winced. "Ooh I better go see what that was all about." She sprinted to the doorway, but turned back. "Thanks for coming. And if I don't see you again tonight, I'll see you soon, yea?"

He nodded. "Definitely."

He watched her linger for a few moments before disappearing around the corner. Then he turned his attention back to the breathtaking view of Troll Village at nightfall. He rested his palms on the windowsill, taking in the tranquil scenery as his mind started to wander.

When he took the time to really stop and reflect, he found himself beginning to realize how important she'd become to him. Before, she had been little more than a noisy, energetic blip on his radar. Another thorn among the many on the withered stalk that had been his life. Now? Now he could clearly see that she wasn't a thorn at all, but the rose at the top, making life all the more beautiful.

Sure, she had her flaws, and maybe at times, her optimism yanked her away from the bounds of a grounded reality…but she was trying. She was learning to grow, in her own way. Making it clear that she was happy to meet him where he was, willing to give him the time he still needed to heal.

That alone sharpened his resolve, bringing with it the desire to take another step forward.

The only problem was that he had no idea how to even go about that.

A shadow in the trees shook him from his musings. He leaned down and tried to make out who it was. They hobbled slowly, stopping several times to cough or shiver from the wild winds on their blustery rampage. Once they got closer, Branch caught a glimpse of pink unkempt hair. And he knew just who it belonged to.

Branch quickly left the party pod, making his way out into the chilly night and up to the elder troll. In the time it had taken for Branch to reach him, he hadn't gotten very far at all, and that was concerning.

"King Peppy!"

Peppy turned his head, both hands gripping his cane. "Branch, hello! Good to see you. And no need for such formal titles, I'm not the king anymore."

"I-I know," Branch replied with a shrug. "But it just feels weird if I don't say it." He stepped closer, pulling his cloak tight around his body. "Where are you going?"

"Oh, just trying to get back home and out of this weather." he lifted a shaky fist to cover a string of weak coughs that rattled his chest. "These old lungs don't do so well in the cold anymore."

Branch carefully looped one arm around Peppy's and placed his other hand on the elder's back. "Here, let me help you."

Peppy tried to answer, but was held hostage by another string of violent coughs, after which he managed a feeble smile. "Thank you, Branch. I would greatly appreciate that."

The winds picked up on their trek, whipping their hair wildly. During a particularly strong gale, Branch used his cloak to shield them both from its icy sting.

Both were grateful to reach Peppy's pod. Branch ushered Peppy in first, gritting his teeth as he struggled to shut the door behind them. He slumped against its wooden frame when it shut with a click. Music to his frozen ears.

Peppy sighed, shuffling over to his favorite easy chair. Branch helped him sit.

"Can I make you some tea?"

"Branch you don't have to do that. You've done enough, thank you." Enduring another coughing fit, Peppy doubled over, uttering a pained groan.

Branch was already poking around in the kitchen. "Do you like chamomile?"

Peppy hummed weakly. "I do, but I'll be fine, really."

Branch was not in the business of taking no for an answer tonight; he'd already taken the flowers and a sprig of mint and was filling up the kettle with water. While it was steeping, he went around and made sure all the windows were shut securely to keep the cold out. By the time he was finished, the tea was ready and he mixed some honey in to make it a little sweeter. He set it on the side table. "Just let that cool for a minute," he said while helping Peppy cover up in a blanket that he knew to be his favorite.

Peppy gave him a grateful smile. "Thank you." Once the tea had cooled, he picked it up with trembling hands and took a small sip. "Now I insist you sit and enjoy a cup for yourself."

So Branch did just that, claiming a seat on the sofa. He looked around, studying the interior of Peppy's home, his cup of tea fixed to his lips as he drank.

Peppy's pod was simple but picturesque. Aged furniture hugged the walls, decorative brass lamps hanging from the ceiling of the small living room. A brightly colored rug was laid out across the floor, the oak coffee table standing atop it. And every alcove was filled with potted plants and flowers of all kinds.

"Do wait for that wind to die down before you even think about heading home yourself."

"Yes sir," answered Branch, eyes drifting over to a large bookshelf across the room. "While I'm here…" He cleared his throat nervously. "There is something I'd like to talk to you about…"

"Oh? And what would that be?"

Branch stared down at the small cup he held, the tea inside much easier to stare down at as he gathered his thoughts. "Poppy mentioned that her skates belonged to her mother, and that you made them for her."

Peppy nodded, smiling wistfully. "Yes, I did."

Branch idly stirred at his tea with a stem from one of the leftover flowers used for their tea. "I was wondering where you found the crystal they're made out of. I've done excavations in a few places just outside the village, but I've never seen ones like those before."

Peppy nodded again. "That's because they aren't common. As far as I know, they're only found in one place."

"Where's that?"

"The caves in Viridian Valley."

Peppy took Branch's intrigued expression as an invitation to elaborate. Chuckling, he rose and shuffled slowly over to the bookcase across the small room. He'd soon returned, carrying a thick vinyl-bound book. "I…haven't looked through this in ages," Peppy admitted, eyes softening as he dusted off the cover and opened it.

Curiousity fully piqued, Branch leaned over to take a look for himself, and the first page had him smiling. "You scrapbook?"

"Used to," Peppy amended. "All the time. Where do you think Poppy gets her obsession with it from?"

The two shared a fond laugh as he flipped ahead a few pages. "I loved to chronicle the biggest moments in my life." He pointed at one page in particular. "This one here being the day Primrose and I went on our first adventure together." He smiled tenderly. "Her parents weren't too happy when we returned. They kept her very busy with preparing her to take over as future ruler and preferred she stay under their watchful eyes. They didn't exactly want her running off with a humble explorer troll like myself."

"Explorer troll?"

"Yes. Before imprisonment in the tree, trolls were free to do just about anything they wished. And I came from a family that loved to set out and discover new places beyond the kingdom's borders. We were deemed explorer trolls by the others who preferred to stick closer to home."

Branch's lips parted, eyebrows raised in pleasant surprise. "So you didn't both come from royalty?"

"Heavens no, I was as far away from the royal bloodline as one could be. I had nothing lavish to offer such an unbelievably gorgeous creature. Except time and my heart. I still don't know why, but it was somehow enough for her."

If this were anyone else, such a statement would make Branch grimace, but the pained fervency in Peppy's words only had him desperate to hear more. And Peppy obliged him.

"We got captured when the two of us were young, and after the tree was uprooted, her parents became even more protective of her. They kept her hidden away so she wouldn't get taken. The rest of us didn't see much of her after that. Until one day, she ventured out and climbed to the very top of the tree. Lost in her own world, she never saw the Bergen coming. But I did. I climbed as quickly as I could. I still remember the look of pure terror on her face when those giant claws reached right for her. I pushed her out of the way and without even thinking, grabbed one of the Bergen's fingers and bit into it with all my might. The huge beast screamed and as it pulled that wart-covered hand away, I picked her up and carried her to safety, deep into the tree's dense center, where the leaves and limbs overlapped so deeply that nothing could reach. It was the first time we'd seen each other face to face in a long time…I'll never forget how beautiful she looked as she stared up at me, and how tightly she held onto me. From then on, she was practically always by my side. I earned her parents' trust that day, and later, their blessing."

Aged fingers turned to the following pages as Peppy went on. "We'd spend all our days in each other's company, just like when we'd run off into the forest when we were young. And it didn't take long for us to realize that we'd fallen very deeply in love."

Branch's gaze spilled over the next page. "And what's going on here?"

"Oh this," Peppy sighed. "This was a truly momentous day. It was the day we found out she was expecting Poppy. That was the turning point. It was then we decided that we would make a plan of escape. So our children could have a better future. She and I began to sneak down into the tunnels. We'd bring small groups at a time and learn which ones would lead where. We actually found the one that led to the valley by accident. It was a night we were out just the two of us. So we decided, why not explore a bit? For old times' sake. We even carved our names into the wall of the cave that we found the crystals in."

"How did ice skating fit into all of this though?"

"Yes I was just getting to that. See, when she wasn't being groomed to be the next queen, Primrose had her seasonal hobbies she adored. In the summer, it was running off to explore with me, or throwing extravagant parties, and in the winter, it was ice skating. And she was a natural at the sport. So after we were captured, I was determined to make sure she got to skate her winter routine, even behind cage bars. Because if there was ever a time when trolls needed their spirits lifted, it was during those dark days."

Branch nodded, recalling the small pool under the tree that froze over when the cold season settled over Bergen Town each year. His dad had taken him down and showed him how to skate there, before he met his terrible demise, like so many trolls before him. And after him…

"What about the… _kaleidosnow_?" Branch asked. "That's something else Poppy mentioned."

"The tree didn't have any ice lilies around it. No ice lilies means no kaleidosnow, but she still kept the tradition alive, even without it. And she would be out there the first snowfall of every winter, all of us gathered around to watch. And afterwards we'd all join her on the ice." Peppy smiled sadly. "She was so upset when her old pair of skates started falling apart on her. It broke my heart. And when I saw those crystals, the idea just wouldn't leave me." His lips quivered faintly. "She only got to use the new ones I made for her a few times. Not long after Poppy was born. Poppy was too young to remember much about her, but Prim was the most wonderful mother, and loved her endlessly. Sang her to sleep every night and woke her up with a song the next morning. And would tell her over and over again how loved she was." His countenance darkened. "She didn't deserve the fate she suffered…part of my soul died with her the day she was taken. But holding our precious daughter in my arms reminded me that…in a way, part of her was still with me."

He choked back a sob, but wasn't strong enough to fight past it. Fresh tears sprang from anguished brown eyes as he cried.

A comforting blue hand reached over to rest on Peppy's. A strange sense of empathy rose up inside him. Branch considered himself very honored for Peppy to share all of this with him. But it was joined by a wave of remorse. He hadn't meant to bring about heartache tonight, yet it was so amazing, that Peppy considered him someone worthy of opening up to about all of this, and taking him on such a stirring excursion to the past. He'd certainly gotten more than he bargained for.

Not good at this sort of thing, he thought it best to keep quiet. So he patiently waited for Peppy to recover. The former king sniffled, wiping at another stray tear as it trickled down, and cleared his throat.

"I loved her so, with every bit of love my heart could hold. And she chose me, ordinary, plain old me, when she could've had anyone of her choosing."

Branch's ears lowered, struck with sympathy. "That's beautiful," he murmured. "...I'm...so sorry. I know how it feels…to lose someone close to you."

"Well, we're free now, so no one ever has to feel like that again."

Branch smiled down at him in a genuinely grateful manner. "And we have you to thank for that." He found himself glancing down at Peppy's scrapbook. "So, the valley you took her to, you have to use the tunnels to get there?"

Peppy glanced towards the weathered desk in the far corner. "Yes, but they're dangerous, as I'm sure you know; I wouldn't recommend taking them if you don't have to. I actually have a map that shows you how to get there a different way. It's among the many others I've made. I kept them all, feel free to look it over if you like."

That was all the invitation Branch needed. He made quick work of searching the desk's many drawers, coming across countless pieces of parchment that were rolled up, string tied around each one. It didn't take long for him to find the one he sought, the words _Viridian Valley_ written along the back.

"Go ahead, take it with you," Peppy insisted. "You're going to need it for reference, if you plan on taking Poppy there one day."

He turned back to Peppy, an astounded look on his face. How did he know?

Peppy merely smiled, a subdued but very present twinkle sparking in those weary amber eyes.

Branch stayed quiet at first, mostly because he didn't know what to say in response. All he could manage initially was the same open-mouthed stare.

"Would that be okay?" Branch asked, finally finding his voice again.

"Of course, Branch. If she's anything like me, and I know she is, I think that would make her very happy."

Branch carefully gripped the rolled-up map. "Thank you."

Peppy gave him another tired smile, easing back into his chair and wrapping himself up in his favored knitted blanket. "When you go, promise me that you'll be careful. And take care of her."

The blue troll nodded, already halfway to the door. "I promise, sir. She'll be safe with me."

[]

Morning came fast, and Branch was seriously considering getting another hour or two of sleep down in his toasty underground haven. He'd had a fairly late night, studying every inch of the map until his eyelids refused to stay open any longer and he eventually passed out at his kitchen table.

The temptation of snatching just a little more sleep beckoned, but he fought it and crawled out of bed, preparing to brave another biting cold snow day. Once he'd found something suitable to wear, he shrugged on his clothes, tied his scarf around his neck, grabbed his skates and set out for the lake.

In a way, the freezing air was refreshing, rejuvenating his mind and body. Really did its job in helping him to wake up.

The other tool to aid him in his endeavor was, of course, a mug of delightfully hot coffee. He could feel the life seeping back into him with every drop that coated his throat.

Poppy was already there when he reached the bank.

Ah, the final and probably most important component in this little formula for a good morning wake-up call.

"There you are!" She quickly bounded over to him. "I was about to come look for you."

"Morning," he answered with a small yawn. "Yea, had kind of a slow start today…" he trailed off, regarding her with an amused look.

"What?" she asked.

He shook his head. "Nothing. It's just funny to me. I don't know how long you all spent partying, but I'm sure it lasted half the night at least. And yet, here you stand, early this morning, wide awake."

She smiled, shrugging as she walked forward. "Years of practice, Branch." She spied the mug in his hand, as well as the second one. "Is that coffee?"

"Mhm."

"How'd I know?" She grinned, placing her hands behind her back. "And you have two cups, so you're either really tired or really thirsty."

He gave a light half-snort, half-chuckle and offered her the full mug. "No, this one's for you."

"Oh! Thanks, Branch!" she exclaimed, gladly accepting the mug and tipping it straight back. "Mmm…well it's not hot cocoa, but it's still delicious!"

"Hot cocoa's great, but it doesn't wake you up quite like coffee does. Not in my opinion."

She took another sip, licking her lips. "What's got you so tired this morning? Were you up late reading or something?"

"Uhh yea, you could call it that. More like studying."

"What were you studying?"

"I'd tell you, but it would ruin the surprise."

Poppy gasped, pink ears perking. "You got a surprise? For me?!"

The corners of his mouth twitched into a light smirk. "Maybe." He continued after she'd stopped squealing excitedly. "It's not ready though, not yet, gotta give me a little more time to make it happen."

She began jumping up and down in elation. "Oooh I can't wait I can't wait I can't wait!"

Branch chuckled again, motioning for her to follow him over to a fallen log. There, they sat huddled together while finishing off their coffee. He relished in the contentment found in just being there with her.

Seemingly oblivious, she leaned back, staring up at the sky and kicking her feet in a most adorable fashion.

Why was everything she did so endearing?

 _Because you love her, that's why. And not like a friend at all, but intimately, and with all of your measly wrecked little soul. And some stupid part of you thinks she just might reciprocate. Go ahead, dare to dream, it's gotten you in plenty of trouble before. You never learn, do you?_

"So," Branch began, ignoring his own inner rant yet again. "Did I miss anything at the party last night? What was that loud crash we heard?"

"Oh that? Just the result of a group of trolls trying to make a giant pyramid. In the middle of a crowded dance floor. Not the best idea."

"Mmm, definitely not. Was everyone okay?"

"Oh yea, no one got hurt. A punch bowl table got knocked over in the process, and we had to clean that up. But everyone was fine. I did end up having to make a new rule though. No pyramid stacking taller than four levels."

"Mm, four is pushing it, I'd say. Three is probably a better compromise."

"Come on, I can't take all their fun away."

Branch could feel another smile teasing the corners of his mouth. "No, that's true."

"Oh! And then later, when the party died down a little after everyone starting getting tired and heading home, Suki let us listen to the music she's putting together for the winter welcoming party and while she played it for us, Aspen asked if I would partake in some partner dancing with him."

Branch nearly choked on his coffee. "Did you?"

She nodded. "Mhm, he's very light on his feet. Gotta give it to him. He only stepped on my feet twice, and he's a little rough on those dips, but he's got some real skill. I didn't think he was really into the classical partner-y type of dances, but he surprised me again."

Blue hands gripped at his mug a little too tightly. "Did it hurt? When he stepped on your feet, I mean?" Awful as it sounded, he hoped it had. Not because he wanted her getting hurt, but if it had been him, he would've made absolute certain those adorable little feet would've been totally unharmed.

"Nah, not really. Branch I think you'd like him if you got to know him a little better. He's hilarious, nearly had me and everyone else in stitches all night with his jokes."

The painful grinding of his teeth concealed behind a clenched jaw told Branch otherwise. Choosing not to say anything, he simply took another sip from his mug.

"And then Harper and Guy came up with this great game idea, where you split into two teams and each have to draw something. And if their teammates could guess what they were drawing, they'd get to go on a slip'n'slide, but instead of water, it's made completely of paint."

"Mm. Sounds messy."

Poppy nodded in enthusiastic agreement. "But we decided that would be better to play when it gets hotter, because washing off afterward in this kind of cold didn't sound fun to anyone." The thought alone had her shivering.

Branch had to smirk at such a sight, but his expression was quick to fade away again as she continued on. "And we got to talking about how excited everyone is about seeing the skating routine and Aspen told us about how Marble was making him a brand new pair of skates and he was beside himself with excitement about joining us on the ice.

"What? Joining us?"

"Yea! He even suggested a few moves for me to add to my sequence, and offered to help if we needed it."

"What does _that_ mean? We don't need his help. Your sequence is fine the way it is!"

Poppy stopped, picking up on his abrupt shift in tone right away. "Huh?"

Branch took another sip from his mug, scowling down as he realized it was empty. Great. "I…nothing. I just…" His gaze dropped to the mug as he traced a fingertip around the rim. "I just…sort of thought this was our thing."

Poppy blinked in confusion. "This _is_ our thing, but you can't re-introduce something to trolls without them wanting to do it too."

He set his mug down and proceeded to fold his arms across his chest, gazing out over the lake.

Head tilted, Poppy frowned, inching a bit closer. "Branch? What's wrong? Did I say something…?"

He stayed silent, eyes trained on the point in the distance where the morning sky met the treetops.

Her furrowed brows only creased further and she placed a palm on his shoulder. "Branch…?" she tried again.

"…should I be worried?" he managed to ask.

Poppy bit her lip in unease, fingers absentmindedly combing her bangs back. "Branch, I'm not sure what you're talking about. Help me out here. What's wrong?"

He opened his mouth, hoping to will the words right out into the open, but nothing would get past his throat for an agonizingly long time. It took her saying his name again, voice tinged with emotion, to get his mind and mouth to cooperate enough to piece an answer together.

"Is there something between you two? Because if there is, I need to know."

"Between who?"

He closed his eyes and huffed sharply through his nose, annoyed that he had to spell it out like this, as that was the very last thing he wanted. "Between you and Aspen, Poppy! Do you like him? As in, as more than just a friend?"

It was now Poppy's turn to completely freeze up and stare back at the other blankly.

Puffs of air slipped from her mouth as she began to laugh. She laughed and she laughed, so ensnared by the sudden ambush of hilarity that she nearly fell right off the log.

Branch didn't know whether to be horrified or relieved, so he sat there in that same uncomfortable silence as before.

Her laughing morphed into gasping for air and she held her chest. "You," she said in a breathless voice, jabbing a finger at him. "You think I like Aspen!"

He glared back, not knowing if it was a question or an accusation. "Glad you think it's so funny, but I was serious."

She forced her laughter under control, taking a few deep even breaths. "I'm sorry, I'm really sorry. It's just that that's one of the funniest things I've ever heard. He and I go together about as well as fish and butterscotch pudding." She stuck her tongue out and made a disgusted sound for emphasis, still laughing lightly.

"But you've got all this stuff in common. And he asked you about dance partners for the winter welcoming party. And now I find out that he snagged you for an actual dance before the big night. And he wants to help you ice skate too. What else am I supposed to think, Poppy?!"

She had the nerve to smile up at him, mirth alit in her gaze. He would've found it beautiful were he not so frustrated.

"You wanna know why he asked me to dance? He wanted my advice and feedback on his technique."

"…why?"

Poppy smiled even more. "You know that troll in the village with the light mauve skin and red hair?"

"The really quiet one with glasses who makes the wood carvings?"

"Mhm! That's the one. Her name is Cypress, and Aspen is completely head over heels for her. And he wants to ask her to be his date for the party. But he was nervous about whether he was even good enough on his feet to ask her in the first place. That's what he was talking about the other day when we were all out here. He doesn't want to go with me, he wants to go with her."

This revelation caused Branch's shoulders and ears to drop, huffing softly as blessed relief washed over him. "So you don't like each other? I mean, you know, like _that_?"

Her eyes narrowed, and she looked oddly satisfied, as though she enjoyed seeing him so vexed. "Don't tell me you were jealous."

"You'd better answer me."

Poppy gave him a small grin and shook her head. "Of course not. I can't believe you'd dream something like that up. Branch, you seriously think that I'd wanna waltz the night away with anyone else in the village but you?"

His gaze flickered over to meet hers, eyes growing wide at her question.

"Know what? Strike that question. I've got another for you. Tell me, of all the trolls in our whole great big village, who was the one who decided to venture into the forest to rescue a very shamelessly optimistic princess? When, if he wanted, he could've gone anywhere else in the world?"

"…me."

She nodded, folding her hands in her lap. "And who sat with that princess and made her smile for the first time after she'd given up all hope of saving her people, and then brought her colors back, and stood beside her after she was crowned queen?"

Like the rising sun peeking over the horizon, another smile began to break through the surface. "Me."

She reached down and very gently took his hand. "And who selflessly offered to be her skating coach so she could bring something back to the village and lift everyone's spirits, just like she did with him back in Bergen Town? And is here with her this very moment?"

He looked down at their hands, her thumb and fingers wrapped around his and squeezing them lightly. "Me," he whispered.

"Yes," she whispered back. "You. No one else but you. And if you ever have any doubt about whether you're the one she wants to be with, just ask her and she'll gladly remind you."

And then Poppy leaned in, eyes slipping closed as she pressed a sweet kiss to his cheek.

Those velvet lips, they left fire in their wake. Searing flames scorching his entire face, surging down into his stomach, through his limbs, and every single strand of bright blue hair on his head.

Beaming back at him, she pulled a notebook from the bag she'd brought with her. "Okay, so I've got a few songs picked out for the routine, here's the list, and then on this page I've written down a rough draft of the series of jumps I want to do. Tell me if it sounds alright, or if you have any suggestions for how to make it better. And then we can get started with practice! We gotta get a move on, we're burning daylight."

More than daylight was burning now. That much was certain to Branch as he slid his fingertips against the spot on his cheek she'd kissed.

If she thought he would be able to focus on anything she was saying right now, did he have news for her. But he did his best, trying to make sense of each of her lists.

It was the coldest day yet of the winter season, and even so, Branch struggled to recall a time he'd ever felt so warm.

[]

Over the next week, Poppy threw herself into skating practice, fully devoted to making the entire routine come together just the way she wanted. Which of course meant mastering those trickier moves. Amongst the toe touches and more basic spins, she still had to accomplish learning an axel and a toe loop. And the butterfly spin, which would serve as her final move, was no small feat. It consisted of an airborne spin, swinging both legs up in a scissoring motion, touching down on one foot and following it with a flying sit spin.

Anything but a cakewalk. Especially for a beginner.

She began to lose count of how many times she fell the first time she attempted it, her elbows and legs left covered in bruises. Persistence was in her very nature, but after wiping out ten times in a row, insecurity wriggled its way in and took stubborn root.

Eleven times. She'd attempted the same jump eleven times now, and after the eleventh try, she cried out in exasperation, slamming both fists against the ice. "What is wrong with me?!" She didn't try to get up; she just lay there, scowling at nothing in particular.

Seconds later, she heard the sound of blades against the ice, and Branch was in front of her, immediately offering his hand. "Nothing's wrong with you. You're probably just tired. Why don't you rest?"

"No," she said, shaking her head. "I have to get this right. Resting just takes away the little time we already have."

"But working too hard doesn't help either. It'll only make it that much harder for you."

She groaned, forcing herself up to a kneeling position so she could grab hold of his hand and stand back up. "But I have to get it. We've worked on it for two days and I still can't land it without falling!"

"Don't be so hard on yourself. This is a tough move, you can't expect yourself to master it so quickly."

"I'm gonna get it right," she insisted. "I have to. We only have a couple more weeks before those lilies all start blooming, and I'm going to make it a special night for everyone, if it's the last thing I do."

Branch crossed his arms. "So, are you doing this for them, or for you?"

She looked up at him. "For them. And for me…and my family."

"Who are you doing it for most of all though?"

Uttering another groan, she buried her face in her hands. "I don't know…" she whimpered.

"Poppy, I think you need to figure out where your priorities lie with this whole thing. You shouldn't be stressing yourself out for the wrong reasons."

She rolled her eyes. "I just need to try again." And off she went, propelling herself across the lake in steadfast determination, circling again and again as she built up speed. Her legs ached fiercely, but she ignored the pain, shifting her weight from left foot to right. When she was sure she was ready, she kicked one leg, toe picking the ice, and she vaulted herself up, performed the spin…and tumbled gracelessly onto the slick, unforgiving surface.

Twelve. Twelve times, she'd tried, and failed. Her hope was in grave danger of straying.

Teeth gritted as the jarring movement caused her even more pain, she rolled onto her side and peeked up to see a rather concerned Branch staring down at her.

"Okay, we're taking a break. Right now," he said adamantly.

She huffed, avoiding his gaze as he helped her up again.

"Do you really think me being stressed about it is what's holding me back from being able to pull off this jump?"

"I think it's a number of things. For one, like I said before, it's a hard one to master. But I think you overdoing it is part of it too. Also, just a guess here, but your motivation could be hazy too."

She pursed her lips and shrugged. "Well, I have no idea how to fix that."

Branch couldn't help but think how wild it was that fate could make things fall into place like this.

"I might know a way."

He ushered her back to the snowy bank and led her away from the lakeside.

Her boots crunched noisily against the snow as she followed after him. "Where are we going?" she asked.

"You'll see."

He knew patience wasn't a virtue of hers, but perhaps she could humor him.

They traveled down the path that led them to Branch's bunker. "Wait here," he said, opening the hatch to the lift and hopping down. "I'll be right back."

Minutes later, he emerged, holding a small pouch. Poppy eyed it with an inquisitive look.

Instead of telling her what he'd stopped to grab, he just smiled and walked towards the edge of the woods.

She stayed right behind him the whole way, glancing up at the fallen snow clinging to the higher branches of every towering tree like clumps of powdered sugar.

So captivated by the winter wonders all around, she nearly bumped right into Branch when he'd stopped.

"Here we are."

Poppy stepped forward, looking ahead at the vast empty space surrounded by a wall of colossal pines and redwoods.

"…it's…beautiful," said Poppy. "But is there a reason we're out here?"

Branch just continued to smile. "You might wanna take a few steps back," he advised.

"What? Why?"

He didn't answer her directly. Instead, he looked up at the sky, raised two fingers to his lips, and whistled.

Confused, Poppy could only stand there, having no idea what he was up to. Until she looked up as well. What she saw made her mouth fall open in disbelief.

Over top of the forest's canopy, a creature appeared, flapping two magnificent white wings. It swooped down and hovered a moment before landing on all fours in the snow no more than three feet away. Its coat was a pristine white, just like its wings, a set of curved furry ears perched atop its head, a long bushy tail flicking and curling around its hind legs.

Pink nose wiggling, it tilted its head and chattered softly.

"Oh my gosh," Poppy whispered, covering her mouth, eyes as wide as they could possibly be. "What…what is it?"

Branch carefully approached the creature, clicking his tongue and reaching out with an open palm. The creature leaned forward and purred as it nudged against Branch's palm.

"They're called quinlyrs," he explained, petting the fur on its forehead. "They're really docile and only eat certain types of plants and fruits, their favorite being speckleberries." He opened the pouch and poured out several two-toned berries, holding them out to the creature.

It sniffed at Branch's offering, chirping excitedly at the discovery before eagerly munching away at the delicious treat.

"I ran into this one when I was harvesting berries for my winter food stock. We nearly scared each other to death. Then afterward, I went to the library to see what I could find out about it. Wanted to make sure it wasn't some kind of dangerous predator." The creature quickly finished off the berries, chirping again, its tail sweeping back and forth contently. "I was wary, but after about a month or so, we'd built a mutual sort of trust. He would visit, I'd give him berries. Sometimes it would be the next day, or the following week." He gently scratched behind the creature's ears. "And now he comes whenever I call."

"Wow." Poppy's hands were clasped under her chin as she stared in sheer awe. "Why haven't you told anyone about this?"

He arched a brow at her. "Tell a very loud and excitable group of trolls about a quiet timid creature that could easily be scared away? Yea, no. Not a chance."

"Mmm, good point…" Poppy replied.

"I'll show him to everyone one day, but for now, I'd like him to stay our secret."

"My lips are sealed," she assured him, studying the quinlyr in bright-eyed intrigue. "Do you think…could I feed him?"

"Sure, just keep your palm flat," Branch said, placing a few berries in her awaiting cupped hands. "And keep your movements small and slow, so you don't scare it. Let it get familiar with you first."

She nodded excitedly, tiptoeing up to the quinlyr. "Hi cutie! Oh wow you're so pretty," she cooed in a low voice, offering it the berries. "Want some?"

It stayed where it was at first, but she waited, and before long, it padded closer, sniffing at her, picking up the scent of the berries. It licked its lips and gobbled them down one by one.

"Aa-ahh! It tickles!" Poppy giggled. The quinlyr licked her fingers and proceeded to nudge her with another happy purr. "Aww!" She lightly petted one of its ears, tossing a gleaming smile over her shoulder at Branch. "I think he likes me!"

Branch chuckled, lightly scratching under the quinlyr's chin. "They have the ability to change color to blend in with their environment. Which is pretty useful, if you ever wanted to…" He shrugged. "Take it out flying?" He posed it as a question, in case she found the offer absurd.

She turned to face him fully. "Are you…are you offering to take me flying?"

"That was the idea. See, there's somewhere I'd like to take you, but it's a long journey on foot. So I thought this would be quicker. We could make it a sort of weekend getaway. I know you've got a lot to do to prepare for the coming weeks, but I think a short break would be good for you. If you wanted."

"Are you kidding? That sounds incredible! Where would we go?"

"I have a place in mind. And a map to show us the way. I have a good feeling you'll like the surprise I've got up my sleeve."

"I have no doubt. There's just one thing: someone would need to be in charge while I'm gone."

"Smidge would make a good stand-in. You could ask her."

"You think she could handle it?"

"Sure. She is your closest friend. She'd know better than anyone. And though she be but little, she is fierce."

Poppy considered that. "Yea…I'd need to let my father know too."

"Already asked him. He's the one who gave me the map."

Regarding him with a rather impressed look, she folded her arms. "Wow Branch, you really thought of everything." She pondered the idea, fingers drumming against her arm. "Okay, I can ask Smidge if she'll stand in for me. When would we leave?"

"If you get that taken care of today, we could leave early in the morning."

"Really?" She looked from Branch to the quinlyr, who decided it was a good time to nudge at her cheek and lick it. She snickered and patted the bridge of his nose with a wide, ecstatic grin.

"Okay! Then I guess we have a plan!"

"Perfect," Branch replied with a nod. "Then it's settled. Pack a bag and meet me right here at this spot. We'll leave at sunrise."

"Sunrise it is." She squealed and spun around, no longer able to contain her excitement. "I can't wait!"

A feverish wave hit him smack in the chest as his gaze lingered on the bubbly pink troll and he smiled fondly at her. "Neither can I."

* * *

 _Think I may have contorted my spine bending over backwards to make this all fit into the canon backstory. I consulted a friend to read it over to make sure it was all plausible and consistent. We don't really know how long the Trollstice tradition lasted, so I figured I had some wiggle room there._

 _The quinlyr is a creature from my imagination. Think ferret with wings, and for its size scale, it's about the same size a horse would be to a human._

 _Kudos if you got the Shakespeare reference. Branch would definitely be into an equivalent in this universe. Let's call him Trolliam Leafespeare, or something._

 _I hope this chapter was more fun to read than the last. It was definitely more fun to write, so hopefully those go hand in hand._


	5. Chapter 5 Whisked Away

Chapter 5 Whisked Away

* * *

"Smidge! I've been looking everywhere for yo-AAAHH!"

Poppy was taken by a very forceful surprise as the troll she'd been trying to find jumped and roughly pinned her down in the snow.

She grunted, blinking up at the wild frenzy of yellow and teal above her. "…ya know Smidge, I love you and all and I'm glad to see you, don't get me wrong…but was that really necessary? A hug would've been fine…"

"Poppy I just did you the biggest favor of your life!" Smidge cried, nose to nose with her best friend.

"How so?"

Moments later, a snowball sailed through the air and landed next to them with a muffled crunch.

Smidge jabbed her finger at the spot where it landed. "That thing was coming right for you, if you'd spent just a second more in its deadly path you would've been done for!"

"…riiight."

"You underestimate Biggie's throwing arm, it could rival mine. Come on, out of the battlefield already!"

Poppy wasn't really given much of an opportunity to react before Smidge had yanked her up and pulled her over to the refuge of a snowfort, all but pushing her around the wall of ice blocks packed astoundingly high in front of it.

"You guys are really taking it seriously this year, huh?"

Plopping down behind the wall, Smidge began furiously clumping more snow together to add to her arsenal. "Winner gets a five-tier cake, made by Marigold!"

"A Marigold original? Oh I'm _so_ in. Wanna team up?"

"Oh my god I'd love that! But…what if we end up being the last two?"

"Then we split the cake right down the middle. Simple!"

"Oooh I like the way you think. Okay, but just remember, one hit and you're out."

"Smidge I was last year's champion, in case you forgot."

"I'd never forget such a great victory, I'm just reminding you. The stakes are high, and no one's holding back. I just wanna make sure you know what you're getting into."

"You want me on hair catapult?" Poppy asked, tossing a thumb over her shoulder towards the platform built at the corner of the wall. "Or down here making snowballs?"

Smidge gave her friend a wily grin, rolling three freshly packed snowballs towards the rest she'd made. "You start firing those beauties, and we'll switch out every few launches!"

"Game on!" Poppy cheered. She grabbed what she needed, hopped up and nestled several frosty projectiles in her hair, and crouched down. Eyes narrowing, she waited for someone to slip into her crosshairs.

The first set of targets happened to be Guy Diamond and Cooper. Guy was balanced on his friend's back as Cooper loped through the snow. The glitter troll had a different mark he was aiming for. Both of them failed to see Poppy crouching in her hiding spot.

"FOR THE CAAAAKE!"

In one swift motion, she leaped up, drew her hair back and whipped it forward with all her might. All while delivering her mighty battle cry.

Cooper and Guy looked up in time to see a trio of snowballs heading right for them. They both yelled, Cooper's legs tangling up as he scrambled to dodge it. Losing his balance, he toppled over but rolled away just in time. He shot to his feet and galloped after Guy, who had just reached his own fort. But he tripped on a root, tumbling forward, each of his feet splayed out in a direction all its own.

"Cooper!" Guy yelled, a hand outstretched to him.

Another snowball flew through the air and pelted Cooper right on his back.

Guy grimaced. "You'd come so faaa-aaa-rrr only to faaa-aa-a-lll in the end. I salute you, my fellow warrior and fri-ii-iiiii-ee-eeeend!"

Cooper lay in the snow, eyes half closed. He raised a leg to the other in returned salute, letting it drop to the ground with a heavy thud. Shutting his eyes completely, his head tilted down, tongue lolling. A few beats of silence passed, and then Cooper was up again, guffawing loudly as he raced off to join the audience of all the other trolls who had already faced their defeat by snowball.

Smidge rolled her eyes, watching from where she peeked over her fort's wall. "So dramatic." She returned to her spot below, joining her friend who had taken cover there as well. "Great job up there, Poppy. We're down to the wire now!"

"So how many are left?" Poppy asked.

"Now it's just you, me, Guy, Fuzzbert, and–"

A giant snowball had set a course for their position. Smidge's jaw hit the floor at the startling sight. "POPPY LOOK OUT!" she shrieked, but it sounded more like bellowing, as she lunged, shoving her friend out of harm's way.

The massive snowball crashed into the wall, taking out a large portion of the painstakingly placed ice blocks and leaving the fort's inhabitants exposed.

Smidge glared up, catching a glimpse of the larger blue troll's face and hearing him giggle as he peeked over the side of his fort.

"Biggie!" Smidge roared. "That's playing dirty and you know it!"

"Dirty?! Smidge I'll have you know I take my bubble baths daily, thank you very much!"

"That better be the last time you use a snowball that big, you almost hurt Poppy! I wouldn't even call that a snowball! Snow _boulder_ maybe!"

"Poppy's playing too? Hooray!" Mr. Dinkles mewed in Biggie's arms, most likely in agreement.

"Here to reclaim your title?" Guy called from his fort. "Oh dearest Poppy, I wish you luu-uu-uuuuu-uu-cckk!" Grinning wickedly, he hurled one snowball after the other in quick succession.

"Gah!" said Smidge. "Come on Poppy, we gotta make a run for it!"

The rest of the battle took place on foot, the competitors running after each other through the snow, throwing snowballs or dodging them as they ran.

"This is even better than last year!" the troll queen cheered. "Seriously, what a rush!" She jumped and twirled, using her hair to toss her projectiles at whoever she deemed close enough. And Smidge followed suit.

One of Poppy's snowballs came extremely close to pelting Guy, but he ducked just in time. In playful retribution, he threw one right back at her but she swiftly jumped out of its path.

"Impressive maneu-u-uuu-vvers!" Guy called to her, giving that same sly grin from before. "Those practice sessions with Branch are really paying oooo-ooo—ooffff!"

"Ahhh trying to throw me off my game, Guy? Clever," she said back. "But it's not gonna work!"

They were so involved in their own battle that neither troll saw Biggie hiding behind a rock close by. Arms high above his head, he was gearing up to throw another large snowball at them.

Just before he made his move, a duo of well-aimed snowballs hit his torso and the side of his face. "Agh!" He whirled around in shock.

From her spot on a tree stump, Smidge hopped up and down victoriously, pumping her teeny fists in the air. "Hah!" she crowed. "That's what you get for demolishing my ice wall!" Staying in near constant motion, she leaped down and motioned for Poppy to follow her.

"Oh well," said Biggie. "That's it for us. Let's go, Mr. D." As he walked away, Mr. Dinkles mewed. "What? No, you cannot compete on your own. It's too dangerous." Another mew had Biggie gasping. "Okay now _that_ was uncalled for. We're through playing and that's that."

Meanwhile Poppy and Smidge were running at full speed in the other direction, looking over their shoulder every few steps to make sure Guy wasn't closing in.

When Smidge and Poppy reached a patch of snow-covered mushrooms, they ran to the biggest one and sprinted around it. Hidden behind its stalk, the two caught their breath. Then each of them looked up at the mushroom's cap and back at one another.

Poppy grinned. "Slingshot Strike?"

Smidge grinned back. "You read my mind."

They climbed up to the top of the mushroom. After packing more snowballs, they bound their hair together, forming a slingshot. Once they'd equipped it, they waited for Guy to get close enough.

"Ready on your count," said Poppy.

Smidge nodded, eyes narrowed, focused on the glitter troll down below who had yet to spy them.

"Three," whispered Smidge. "…two…ONE!"

Guy's head whipped up at the two shouting as they fired their hair slingshot. He tried to dodge, but it was too little, too late. Snowballs rained down, one hitting the side of his head. He yelped, falling face first in the snow.

Poppy gasped. "Are you okay, Guy?" she shouted.

He sprung to his feet and threw her a thumbs-up, brushing the snow off his face with a smile. "Glorious as glitter! Good game, ladies," he said, bowing at the waist. "Well played."

Poppy gave him a thumbs-up in return. "Right back at ya!"

As Guy jogged over to join the others, Smidge and Poppy gushed away.

"That was incredible!"

"Oh my god I know! A direct hit!"

"We make such a great team!"

"Yea we—wait…" Smidge glanced around, suddenly looking wary. "Where's Fuzzbert?"

The two shared a wide-eyed look. And the next thing they knew, they were ambushed from above, falling forward as the snow covered the backs of their heads. When they got up, they turned to see him standing on a tree limb, dancing a jig.

"How?!" Smidge moaned, flopping onto her back with a heavy sigh. "That sweet sweet cake…it was in my grasp…I could almost taste it!"

Poppy brushed herself off, shaking the snow from her hair. "Look on the bright side Smidge: we played a really great game. And I had tons of fun, didn't you?"

"Yea…I did…"

"Well that's what's most important."

She sighed again and smiled up at her, nodding her head. "Yea, you're right."

They walked with Fuzzbert back to where the crowd was gathered. Poppy escorted him over to the platform that served as the winner's circle. She picked him up and placed him on her shoulders, shouting as loud as she could. "Annnnd Fuzzbert takes the caaaaaake!"

The trolls in the audience cheered, clapping and blasting streamers out of cannons. Marigold came over and gave the new champion his congratulatory hug and presented him with his prize.

To Smidge's delight, she got to partake too, as Fuzzbert decided he wanted to share the cake with all of his friends.

While eating the delicious dessert, the group of friends all complimented each other on how well everyone had done, laughing at funny moments that had arisen throughout the game.

That was the beauty of troll sportsmanship. No matter how competitive things got during a contest or a game, no hard feelings were ever felt. Because in the end, they knew friends getting together to have a good time was really what it was all about.

Later, after everyone had finished their share of Marigold's mouthwatering Triple Chocolate Truffle Cake, Poppy took Smidge aside, still needing to break the exciting news to her.

"So, when I came looking for you earlier," she began, "it's because I've got something I need to ask you."

"Alright. What's up?"

"Well, I'm going away this weekend—"

"Going away?" the smaller troll blurted. "What?! Where? Why?"

"Relax," she giggled. "It's just for the next couple of days. I'm going on a getaway trip, with Branch. He wants to take me somewhere, but he won't tell me where."

In place of her ruffled expression, a smug smile stretched across her face. "Atta boy, Branch."

Poppy twirled a piece of her hair, a quick attempt at hiding a blush. "So, since I'll be gone, I need someone to fill in for me, starting tomorrow. It wouldn't be much, I can make a list of the various things that would need to be done. It's mostly working out any problems that arise with parties that may go on, or pitching in with everyday winter festivities. Helping out trolls that need your guidance or advice on decorations or preparing food. That kind of thing. Sometimes all they need is a little direction."

"Hold up, are you asking me to take your place for you?"

"Would you? I think it would be fun! Queen for the weekend. What do you say?"

The shorter troll looked like she was about to explode. "I…I SAY ABSOLUTELY!" she shouted, jumping up and down. "Oh my god oh my god I'd be honored!" She stopped jumping all of a sudden, her gleeful smile fading. "But…I didn't win the game, Poppy." Her head lowered, as if in shame. "You don't want a loser standing in for you."

"Smidge! This isn't about winning some silly game, it's about making sure everyone has fun and stays safe, and I can't think of another troll I'd trust more to do that very thing than you."

Puffing up in pride, Smidge balled her tiny fists. "Okay, okay, I'll do it! I'll be the best temporary queen the village has ever seen! I swear it. I just have one tiny little request," she said, pinching her thumb and forefinger together.

"Name it."

"I get to wear the crown."

-[][][]-

It was well before sunrise and Branch was wide awake, kneeling in front of way too many packed bags.

He'd always been great at being prepared, but today he'd taken that to the extreme. Nervously, he combed a hand through his hair, frazzled mind in overdrive. "What am I doing?" he muttered to himself. He knew he couldn't bring everything, but in anticipation for this little getaway, his focus was scattered in pieces.

"Just the essentials," he told himself, consolidating what he thought most important into two bags and narrowing it down from there. "This can stay…but I have to bring these…need at least one of those... _why_ didn't I finish packing last night?!"

It had been a challenge, but at long last, he had succeeded in getting everything crammed into his knapsack he always used for his regular camping trips. Though this trip was anything but a regular one. But he brushed that thought away, before an anxiety attack could creep up and trap him in its suffocating clutches.

On the trail that led to the clearing, he rationalized that this is all he would need, and what was most vital was getting there safely and finding a place to stay.

He now stood in the middle of the clearing, facing his furry feathered friend and adjusting the bridle and set of reins he'd fashioned for him. Branch tugged at the reins to test them, and one tug too tight earned him a snort of disapproval. The creature pulled back and stamped both front feet with a sharp chirp.

"I know, I know," Branch soothed. "But you have to wear it. You don't know where we're going. And I do." He placed his palms on either side of the animal's jawline, stroking a furry white cheek and tilting the creature's head down so their eyes locked. "We're taking Poppy on this trip to show her something really special, so I'm counting on you to help me make this happen, alright?"

Apparently satisfied with such an explanation, the quinlyr relaxed with a little flare of a small pink nose. Berries were given as a reward, and it made for a solid distraction so Branch could keep checking the give of the reins.

At least, until something caught the creature's attention. Loud continuous chatter filled the previously quiet clearing, causing Branch to turn to see what had brought on such excitement out of nowhere.

And, there she was, appearing from around the base of a tree. The reigning queen of Troll Village. The epitome of happiness, personified in pink.

He bid farewell to a properly working heart, feeling it flutter erratically in his chest. Refusing to acknowledge that the mere sight of her had that kind of power over him now. Boy was he in trouble.

She waved to him, her other hand tightly clutching the strap of her backpack as she sprinted forward. "Good morning!"

"Good morning," he echoed. "Ready to go?"

"I've been ready since yesterday. My stand-in is all lined up to take over."

"So she agreed to it?"

"Agreed is an understatement. She was completely beside herself."

Branch nodded. "I'm sure she'll do you proud." When he figured he'd tortured the poor creature enough with adjusting the bridle, he patted a white furred cheek and turned to face Poppy. "Here, I'll take that for you," he said, gesturing for her backpack.

She handed it over. "Careful, this is precious cargo here."

There was no way it was half as precious as the troll who'd brought it. Though he didn't dare speak such a thing out loud. Instead, he snorted lightly. "Think I can manage that." He stored it in a large compartment fastened to the winged creature's back, right next to his own belongings. Once it was buckled closed, he climbed up and onto the quinlyr's back. Then he leaned down and offered Poppy his hand.

"Have you named this cutie yet?" she asked, taking his hand and squeaking as he pulled her up. He was ever attentive and careful as he helped her sit behind him atop a blanket of silky white fur.

"No, he's a pet, if anything. I don't really see the need to name him."

"You have to give him a name, Branch! Biggie gave Mr. Dinkles a name. Pets deserve names too."

He shrugged. "I guess, but—"

"Don't worry, I'll help you brainstorm!" She hummed, running a hand through his fur. "How about Fluff?"

Branch wrinkled his nose and shook his head. "I think if I do give him a name, it should sound a bit more…dignified."

" _Sir_ Fluff then!"

He threw her a deadpan look, but it melted rather swiftly into a smile. "I was thinking something like…I don't know, Archimedes, or maybe Valerio."

"Ick, I got bored halfway through that first one. Look at him, Branch. He's a fluffy little cutie pie! He needs a name that's as cute as he is!"

"Mmm, well maybe we can come to a…cutely dignified compromise. If there _is_ such a thing."

"Well, I'm calling him Sir Fluff until we can decide on something more to your liking," she decided.

A chuckle resonated in his chest. "Fair." He looked back at her over his shoulder. "Now, hold on tight to me, and don't let go."

Wiggling closer, she wrapped her arms snugly around his middle, resting her chin on his shoulder with a playfully delighted smile. "Think I can manage that." She was teasing him, with his own words!

Though the teasing didn't stop at words alone. Its current flowed further, carried by her soft touch, her body hugged against his, the divine scent of lilacs in spring spilling off silky wisps of magenta hair whenever they would brush past his ear.

He had to all but pretend she wasn't there so he could concentrate enough to even get them off the ground. Pulling the reins, he clicked his tongue. "Come on boy, ready? Let's go."

The quinlyr spread its marvelous white wings and flapped them before taking to the sky. Branch could feel the pink troll's hold around him tighten as they ascended higher and higher. When they'd cleared the treetops, the quinlyr chattered, wings extending in a steady glide.

"How incredible is this?!" Poppy shouted.

Glancing back, Branch caught the ever so lovely sight of Poppy tossing her head back and laughing in exhilaration.

"I'm touching the sky!" she cried, hand outstretched against daybreak's stunning canvas. The brightest oranges and the deepest purples mixed together, inviting pale pinks and creamy beiges to join forces in their magnificent display. "Branch I'm actually touching the sky!" Squealing her contentment, she returned to hugging both arms around him, burying her face into his back.

If she kept that up, he wouldn't be much use in leading this expedition and they'd just end up flying in circles the remainder of the morning.

"I'm so beyond excited," she went on. "Another adventure with you was long overdue."

His fingers curled tighter around the reins, gaze becoming distant as he recalled their first adventure. How coarse he'd been to her, so cold and closed off. His easily aggravated temper like a stick of dynamite with the shortest of fuses.

But somehow, it never scared her away. She was the only one brave enough to comb through the unruly underbrush and free him from those indestructible walls he'd built around himself. He thought no one would ever break through, but she'd found a way. And together, they danced right back into the haven of renewed happiness. Quite literally.

Though his doubts and fearful nature surely left somewhat of a damper on the memory of their rescue mission.

Which was why he was determined to make this weekend a memorable one, for all of the right reasons.

At least, he hoped he had a shot at making that possible.

He was thrown back to the present, eyes wide as it hit him that he hadn't answered her.

"Couldn't agree more!" he quickly replied.

Snickering, she leaned forward. "Someone's deep in thought. What's goin' on in that head of yours?"

Too much. Entirely too much. That would've been the more appropriate response. Instead he smiled back at her and said, "Just thinking about what we should do first when we get there. Set up camp, obviously, but then I figured we could have lunch and then I can take you on a hike."

"Sounds fun to me! Have you been to this place before?"

"No, never. But you have."

"I have?"

"You won't recognize it, but you've been there, just trust me."

"So it's not exactly a surprise then, Branch."

He breathed a light laugh. "It is. I promise, you'll see."

They took several breaks during their trip, to give their feathered friend a chance to rest his wings, and to give Branch a chance to look over the map, just to ensure they were going in the right direction.

The sun had almost reached its highest point in the sky when a range of mountains appeared through the clouds. Branch guided the quinlyr to fly lower. He chirped and tucked his front paws as he dipped down, gliding around the base of the first mountain.

Rounding its base, Branch's eyes widened as the valley came into view. Turning halfway, he quickly but gently nudged Poppy, who had fallen asleep, lamenting the lack of time he had to admire her serene sleeping form snuggled against him. "Poppy? Poppy wake up. You've got to see this."

Giving a sleepy groan, she stirred and opened her eyes with a yawn. "Mmmmm? Wha—whoa!"

Together, they marveled at the lush valley, countless masses of trees and grassy foothills cradled between sloping walls of rock. Waterfalls streamed over lofty ledges, each one filtering into the great river below that flowed through the entire region.

"Sooo gorgeous," she sighed, rubbing at her eyes. "Where are we?"

"Viridian Valley."

She shoved him in the side, so gently that he'd barely felt it. "You fibber! I've never even heard of such, there's no way I've been here before. I would remember a place like this."

"I mean it, I'm telling the truth. Your father told me the entire story behind this place."

"Wait…my dad told you about it? But then, how—"

"Nuh-uh, that's all you get out of me right now." He couldn't keep from grinning at the way her lips poked out in a small deflated pout.

Climbing down the quinlyr's wing and hopping onto the ground, he turned and helped her down as well. "I promise, by the end of the day, this will all make sense."

"I'm gonna hold you to that," she answered, tapping him on the nose.

He watched her skip away to fetch her backpack, her dress sweeping gracefully around her legs. How someone could be so innocent and elegant all at once, the notion was completely beyond Branch.

He'd gotten alarmingly close to daydreaming, but thankfully, he snapped out of it as she dangled his own knapsack in front of his face. "I believe this is yours."

He took it with a smirk. "Thank you. How'd you figure that?"

Her eyes roamed from the worn muddy brown material of his knapsack to the bright rainbow-colored sequins decorating her own and she smirked back, shoulders lifting in a lighthearted little shrug. "Just a hunch."

He shook his head with a grin. "Come on," he said, leading them further into the valley.

As they walked, Poppy looked up at the sky, covering her eyes from the harsher rays beating down. "It's warmer here than it is back home." She began shedding her coat.

"It's good you brought something to keep you warm though. In case it gets colder at night. Nature's unpredictable sometimes."

"True." Coat folded over one arm, she twirled in place, basking in the sunlight. "Okay! So, you said you wanted to set up camp first, right?"

"Yes, but we have to find a suitable place first."

"Let's get to it then!"

So onward they trekked, exploring the captivating valley. And after traversing its grounds for a solid half hour, Branch finally settled on a place that would make a decent campsite. It was a spot halfway between the mountainside and the river. Shrubs and foliage grew in a long arc, providing adequate shelter from the elements, moss-covered boulders helping to inforce in this sort of protective border surrounding the widespread expanse of grass.

"This is a good spot," he decided, setting his knapsack down before rubbing the back of his neck. "I didn't mean to take so long…I'm sorry."

"Sorry? You found us a lovely place to set up camp! Really, it's great. I think Sir Fluff approves too!" The quinlyr trilled, curling up on an inviting patch of grass and stretching his front paws, wings ruffling up. "Aww, look at him getting all cozy." She bent down and petted the tuft of fur between his ears, which made him purr appreciatively. "You're just too adorable for words, you know that?"

But Branch's thoughts were geared toward matters he found to be of greater concern. "I don't know how safe we'd be from predators here though. It's not a completely enclosed space, but it works. Once we get a fire going, that will help—" He paused, darting over to his knapsack, eyes growing wide in shock as he dug through his camping necessities and realized, to his horror, something was missing. Had he forgotten? Had he left it behind? How could he be so careless as to leave behind something so vital?!

"Branch? Everything okay?"

"It's not here," he muttered, rummaging through his things a second time, but of course, his efforts proved futile. " _It's not here_ ," he repeated, dismay much more present in his tone.

"What isn't?"

"My flint."

"Your what?"

"It's something I need to make a fire…I can't believe it isn't here, I was sure I packed everything…" He recalled how he'd worked to consolidate everything back at his bunker. In his attempt to pack lighter, it must've gotten left behind in one of his other bags. This revelation had a low frustrated growl building in his throat.

Poppy held her hands up. "Whoa okay, hang on, don't panic. Can you make some with what you brought with you?"

"No, it's not made, it's a rock. It occurs naturally in the ground. Usually by a body of water."

"How lucky are we then that we're right next to a river!" She took him by the arm. "Come on, let's go look for some!"

He sighed in defeat, allowing her to pull him along. "I don't know how I could've possibly forgotten it, I'm sorry Poppy."

"Don't be, it's so not a big deal! We just find some more. To the riverside!"

All along the soil just beside the river, they searched. After a few minutes spent on their little impromptu hunt, Poppy had plucked up several rocks and ran over, holding them out to him. "Will any of these work?"

He studied her findings, picking out a piece that caught his eye. "This one," he said in relief. "This is the kind we need."

Poppy dropped the others and placed her hands on her hips proudly. "There we go! See? Nothing to freak out over. All is well. Now then, you need anything else for the fire?"

"No, I brought a knife, that and the flint's all I need. And firewood of course." He pressed the side of his temple, trying to will away the oncoming surge of anxiety. "I didn't have enough room for extra kindling, so we'll have to go gather some later. I hope you don't mind, I-I'm—"

"Branch, if one more apology comes out of your mouth, so help me, I will tackle you to the ground right here."

He could only gawk back at her, shocked by the stern tone she'd taken. Had she just threatened him? And more importantly, did she plan on following through with such a lovely consequence?

His reaction must've been pretty funny for she'd started to laugh, covering her mouth with a delicate hand as those silvery peals of laughter rang out. God even her laugh was like a melody.

"Listen," she said, expression smoothing into the realm of sincerity. "I can tell you're stressing about this, but you really don't need to. I know we just got here, but I'm already having a great time! I mean it. I always have such a great time with you. On the ice, off the ice, no matter what we're doing together. So you don't need to worry so much, okay?"

She gazed at him so tenderly and he stared back, losing himself in those eyes. If he were locked away in his bunker, engrossed in writing a poem about her, there were so many words he could use to describe her eyes. Shimmering, striking halos of infinite beauty. Flecks of sunlight glinting in them, in much the same way light strikes the facets of a rare gemstone.

But standing in front of her, stunned speechless by how she'd so effortlessly quelled his worries, worries that were largely unspoken, the only thing that came to mind was open. They were so open.

 _She_ was so open. Spouting her thoughts and feelings without an ounce of hesitation.

How he wished he could do that. There was so much he wanted to tell her.

As he was tormented yet again by fear looming over him like an ominous shadow, he felt something angelically soft touch his skin.

While he'd been trapped inside the confines of his mind again, she had laid her hand on his wrist. Slowly, she moved it up to wrap her fingers around his and gently squeezed them. Such a small gesture, easy to shrug off. But to Branch, it spoke volumes.

Chancing a smile, he turned his hand so he could squeeze back, sliding this thumb over her own fingers.

"Okay. Thank you." He didn't take his eyes off hers until he loosened his grip and let his hand drop. "I'll um, I'll set up our tents."

"Great! While you're doing that, I'll fix us lunch! I packed plenty of food."

"Glad one of us was prepared."

And she was off again, skipping back towards their campsite. Meanwhile Branch immersed himself in examining the foliage, trying to figure out which shrubs would provide the best sticks and leaves for a sturdy tent structure.

All the while, desire was steadily thriving inside him, engulfing his very soul. A soul that ached for her. And it was becoming harder and harder to ignore.

[]

After lunch, Branch put the finishing touches on their tents, and even made a shelter for their feathered friend. He paid little mind to the leafy shelter though, opting to stay in the sunlight, rolling onto his back and wriggling to get comfortable. Then he fell still and all but vanished before their eyes, sprawled out in front of a curtain of bluish-green leaves.

"That's amazing!" said Poppy. "He just blends right in. It's like magic!"

"Yea, it's a really neat protection tactic."

"He'd be second to none at hide-and-seek."

She had him smirking again. Their differing viewpoints always had a way of making him do that. "I don't think quinlyrs play games like hide-and-seek."

"You never know, Branch. Fun and games isn't something just us trolls have a liking for."

"You might be right…but I doubt it."

She shoved him lightly and he couldn't keep himself from grinning outright.

"Unreal," she said, shaking her head. "You really do have the most gorgeous smile in the world."

A burst of tingles danced down his spine. The tips of his ears curving down, he felt the blood rushing to his cheeks and he had no prayer of stopping it.

"Yours is just as lovely, Poppy," he managed to reply.

She beamed, lashes fanning over mesmerizing magenta eyes. His gaze lowered to the soft rounded edges of her nose, and the tantalizing lift of those perfect lips. Lips that formed a smile that was so much more than lovely, if he could just will himself to say it out loud.

Lips that couldn't be more than a few centimeters away from his own this very moment.

He could barely contain the need to close the painfully small gap between them and pull her right in, just to know what it felt like. He wanted to. Desperately. But…would such a thing repulse her, enough that she'd push him away?

He'd done that enough to her in the past…

The haunting thought forced him to tear his gaze away from hers to peer up at the sky.

"We should probably head out, if we want to get back from this hike before nightfall." Using a rope, he fastened one end to the bridle around the quinlyr's neck and tied the other around the shrub he lay under. "You're staying here. Don't want you wandering off and getting lost. And we need someone to guard our campsite. But we'll be right back." From the drawstring pouch, he pulled out a handful of berries and set them on the ground beside their feathered friend. As he ran a hand across the fur on his back, the quinlyr purred, wings fluttering.

"He's got such pretty wings," said Poppy, handing Branch's knapsack over to him.

He thanked her, shrugging his arms into the straps one at a time. "Yea, the way the feathers move when he tucks them at his sides kind of reminds me of ripples on the water."

Poppy's eyes lit up in an instant. "Hey, I like that! Ripple."

"For his name?"

She nodded.

He mulled it over. "It _does_ sound dignified. At least, moderately."

"And cute!" Poppy added. "What do you say, pal? You think Ripple's a good name for you?"

It could have just been a funny coincidence, but right after asking him, the quinlyr gave a happy chirp and leaned forward, nuzzling Poppy. "Think we have a winner!" she cheered. "Whaddya know? We came to a cutely dignified compromise after all."

"I'm just as surprised as you," he teased, unrolling the map. "Okay, so from here…" he trailed off, studying the map's layout, pointing to their current location. "We head north."

"Let's go!" said Poppy. "I'm right behind you." She waved to their newly named companion. "See you later, Ripple."

Sleepy chattering was the answer she got, for Ripple was already on his way back to Dreamland.

The pair of trolls set out on their hike through the valley together. Along the way, Branch held the map in front of him, using it for near constant reference as they navigated the foreign terrain. Whenever they would be faced with a rock or tree root that was difficult to climb over, Branch would go first and help Poppy the rest of the way.

Both of them were a little winded after scaling the mountainside, so they stopped to rest at the entrance to the cave that stood before them. There, Branch traded out the map for a lantern. Earlier on in their hike, he had found a cluster of fireflies in the grass. And after gathering a fistful of the same grass, he placed it inside along with the ones he could catch.

Now as he sat in front of the cave, he held it up, tapping the sides, glad to see they were just as active in here as they had been out in the open.

"How do they breathe in there?" Poppy asked from her spot on the rocky ledge.

"Through all the little holes in the top." Carrying the lantern, he walked over to stand next to Poppy, placing a hand on her back as she stood.

"So this is the place you wanted to show me?"

"What I want to show you is somewhere in there." With his head, he gestured to the cave's entrance.

She took hold of his hand, and together, they walked inside.

Branch held the lantern up in front of him, the fireflies giving off a bright enough glow to light their way through the darker passages. He wasn't sure how far into the caves they'd have to go, so he made sure he knew the way they'd come in case he needed to backtrack.

Just as he was starting to wonder if they should turn and go another way, he caught sight of a violet glow coming from a connecting chamber in the cave. He walked ahead, but never loosened his grip on Poppy's hand.

As they stepped into the chamber, Branch's mouth fell open.

Beside him, Poppy gasped aloud, reverence and amazement ablaze in her features. "No way."

Along the cave walls, hanging from the ceiling, and clustered in various places on the floor, were shimmering crystals of every size.

She turned around in circles, looking up at the glittery fragments projecting downward, diagonal, sideways, every direction imaginable.

"These look familiar at all to you?" Branch asked.

Poppy nodded. "Mom's skates…these are the crystals on Mom's skates. You…" She turned to face him, lips parted as she stared in awe, her breathing falling into shallower patterns. "How…how did you…" She never finished.

"That map I've been using belonged to your father," he said, pacing ahead to admire the clusters of crystals up close himself. "After telling me the story about how he found this place, he let me borrow it, so I could bring you here." He set his lantern down on the ground nearby.

"But…I don't understand, you said I've been here before."

"Well, if the way he tells the story is true, then you have." A single glance her way told him that her need to know more weighed heavy on her heart. So he continued.

"According to him, the day he found out your mother was going to have you, they made the decision to escape their imprisonment in the tree. So you could have a happier life. And some time between that day and the day you were born, they'd been exploring the tunnels together, to see which ones would lead to safety. And they found this place purely by accident. So yes, in a way, you have been here, but now you get to see it with your very own eyes."

Giving her a chance to absorb the events of the moving tale, Branch searched the walls for the other thing Peppy had told him about. When he found it, he allowed himself a moment of triumph. Quickly taking Poppy by both hands, he led her over to the recess in the cave wall. He pointed to the spot just above a rocky platform, surrounded by crystals. "Before they left, they carved their names on the cave wall. Right here."

Poppy stood in front of the wall, eyes fixed on the carved outline of the heart and the names it held. She lifted her hand and laid it against the tangible proof of her parents' love for one another. That same hand began to tremble.

Branch had stayed back, giving Poppy space to take this all in herself. He couldn't see her face, but he heard her suck in an uneven breath, shoulders hitching as she began to cry.

Branch's heart sank, stomach knotting in remorse. Oh no _…no_ he hadn't meant for this to happen. Had he just ruined everything? Was disaster lying in wait around the corner? What had he done?!

Just then, Poppy spun around…and she was smiling. Tears streamed down her cheeks, but she was smiling. She wiped at her tears and the next thing Branch knew, she was running over and had thrown her arms around him in the tightest, warmest hug. He embraced her back, not even thinking twice about it.

"Thank you," she whispered against his shoulder.

"You're crying," he stated dumbly, confused and concerned all at once.

She sniffled and lifted her head. "'Cause I'm happy. You make me so happy. You went to all this trouble, for _me_."

"It wasn't trouble," he protested. "I…I wanted to do this for you. I knew it would mean a lot to you."

She laughed through her tears, wiping them away as others persisted to fall. " _You_ mean a lot to me, Branch. I wish I could put into words how you make me feel…" An intense look of resolve took form in her eyes, a kind that Branch had never seen on her before. Her lips quivered as she drew in another shallow breath. "But I've got a better idea."

She cupped both sides of his face and pulled him in, their lips colliding.

Electricity. It was the very first thing he was cognizant of. Scalding sparks of pure electricity that jolted his mind and brought every racing thought within to a complete halt. Pleasant shivers burst through his frame in a flurry of fireworks. Eyes as wide as basic biology allowed, he gripped her waist as if he'd fall down a chasm to his death if he dared let go. Once his brain broke free of its paralysis and he could understand that yes, this really was happening to him, he shut his eyes and leaned in. But before he could kiss back he felt her withdrawing.

He'd only had a drop from the fountain of sweet fervor and it left him positively parched.

When he opened his eyes once more, she was trying to read him with a careful, curious expression. "…is…this alright?" she whispered.

Was…was it alright? _Was it alright?!_

He didn't breathe a word, but answered by pulling her back in and kissing her with every bit of ardency he had in him. It was shaky, and a little clumsy, but heaven above, it was all he ever wanted. Her lips were so soft. Soft and gentle and warm. Infinitely better than anything his dreams and fantasies could conjure up. He was kissing her, and she was kissing back. She didn't pull away, she held him tighter! The fire she'd ignited in him the other morning on the lake raged now, unrelenting as it burned, searing hot flames intertwined with the electric sparks pulsing around his heart. Heat spread throughout his entire body, spiraling around his core.

He could stand here in this fiery lightning storm for the rest of eternity and that would be just fine with him.

They broke apart, both gasping for air, but still staying as close as they could.

Poppy reached up and gently brushed at something wet that had trailed down his cheek. "Oh Branch..." She gave him another trembling smile. "You too?"

He looked down at the single tear on her fingertip, feeling more threatening to surface, and he began to laugh. Laugh in relief, in elation, in bliss. With a small sniff, he wrapped her in another embrace, resting his nose against her forehead and murmuring her name.

How long they stayed like that, holding one another underneath a subdued violet glow, he couldn't say.

The one thing Branch did know was that he would never, for as long as he lived, forget the day he got his very first taste of forever.

* * *

 _. . ._

 _I deliberated for a **very** long time about which one I wanted to initiate the kiss, and the more I thought about it, the more it just felt right to me, for this particular story, to have Poppy be the one. Branch has lived most of his life alone and fearful of the world around him. Plus, he carries quite a bit of remorse for how he previously treated Poppy. So I could only imagine him being petrified in fear even if the desire was deeply imbedded. So in the end, it had to be her. But there will be plenty of opportunities for Branch to initiate in the future._

 _There's an entire second part to this getaway trip. But this chapter has gotten so crazy long that I couldn't fit it all in one. So that will be next._

 _Side note: if you're ever looking to orchestrate a snowball fight, I highly recommend listening to Wizards in Winter while you do it. Absolutely awesome piece of music._

 _Thank_ _you so much for giving this a read, I really do appreciate it._

 _Bye for now!_

 _-o-_

 _UPDATE: post/189642186283/with-a-small-sniff-he-wrapped-her-in-another_

 _CHECK THIS OUT! A beautiful piece of art by one of my fandom besties and awesome writer of "The Woes and Antics of Living Together"! Tis one of my favorites, I just do all my squeeing to her on AO3 instead of here. Thank you rmg91!_


	6. Chapter 6 One Step at a Time

_Heyyy! Just wanted to give you a quick heads up, this chapter is pretty long, right around the 10k mark, I believe. It's also told in two different perspectives. So, if you're not big on long chapters, my advice would be to stop at the end of Branch's POV and pick up with Poppy's at a later time. If you're good with long-ish chapters, then it's all yours for the taking my friend._

* * *

Chapter 6 One Step at a Time

* * *

The atmosphere surrounding the two trolls on their way back to camp was altogether different than their previous hike.

Coy smiles and looks were exchanged, as well as sheepish laughter whenever their arms would accidentally brush.

Branch felt like he'd been colorblind his whole life and could now see the world in vivid clarity for the first time.

Wonderful? That didn't even begin to cover it.

The two walked side by side until they reached their campsite. That was when the guard at his post noticed them. Chattering excitedly, he bounded over, tail whipping left and right.

"Hey Ripple!" Poppy cooed.

"See, I told you we'd be back," said Branch, pushing him away as the creature began to lick his face with a little too much enthusiasm. "Agh hey, cut it out! Yea, I'm glad to see you too. Okay, okay you can stop now."

Ripple chirped at him indignantly, turning to Poppy and giving her a greeting nuzzle. "Awww, he missed us!" she declared, wrapping her arms around the quinlyr's furry neck.

Arms folded across his chest, Branch smirked. "He missed _attention_. Isn't that right?" He approached and gave his pet's furred side a good scratching. Poppy had to untangle herself as Ripple dropped to the ground, rolling over and purring like mad. Paws tucked, he trilled up at Branch, hind leg twitching when the right spot was scratched. "Oh you've got such a hard life, don't you?" Ripple nudged his berry-supplier with a gleeful noise and then flew up to perch on a boulder.

Poppy chortled as she watched him fly away. Then she took hold of Branch's hands, pulling him forward. "So, listen. I know you're not a huge fan of it, but I've got to scrapbook. Or else I'm gonna explode."

"Oh was that your 'precious cargo' you were referring to earlier?" he asked with a teasing arch of his brow.

"You better believe it! And when I'm finished, I have something else to show you."

"Okay. I'll get us a fire started."

In his arms he carried a bundle of sticks that had been gathered on their walk back. After setting them down, he arranged a pile of small stones into a circle and stacked the sticks in the middle. Then he put his newly acquired flint to use. It didn't take him long to get a small flame going. He stoked it, adding kindling gradually, until the fire was large enough to give off a generous amount of heat.

Afterward, he knelt in front of the flickering flames, palms held out to catch the radiating heat. His gaze eventually wandered over to settle on Poppy. She had cast a heart-patterned blanket down, her craft supplies scattered around her as she lounged on her stomach, cutting out pieces of felt.

She caught him spying and smiled. "You wanna try making a page? I've got some extra felt here."

"No thanks, I'm good."

"You sure? It's really fun. I can show you how to use my glitter glue, but I only brought this one tube, so we'd have to share."

He glanced over to where he'd stashed some of his belongings. "Thanks, but I'll leave the scrapbooking to you, I've got something else in mind." He could feel her curious gaze on him as he fetched his journal. Returning to his place in front of the fire, he thumbed through the pages, stopping at the first blank one.

Sneaking a few more glances, he watched Poppy at work…well, at craft. He found himself admiring the unbelievably cute way her nose scrunched up, eyes squinted and lips poking out as she tried to make a precise cut with her bedazzled scissors.

And like the rushing river that flowed just beyond their campsite, the words began to trickle from his mind and onto the paper. He wrote one line, then another, and without fully realizing, he'd filled up half the page.

"There! Done!" Poppy announced. She sprinted over and cozied up beside him. Meanwhile, Branch fumbled to quickly shut his journal and set it aside.

"And what were _you_ working on there?"

"Err, it's nothing."

She smirked. "At it again with the fibbing, huh? Come on, Branch, you're better than that."

That made him give a halfhearted snort. "It's a poem."

"Oh! Can I read it?"

"It's…not finished yet."

"Well when it's finished, could I? Or you could read it to me."

"We'll see." Smiling, his gaze lowered to the scrapbook she hugged to her chest. "You gonna show me your final product there? Since yours _is_ finished?"

"Yep! But first, you have to close your eyes."

Now he was wary. "It's not gonna spray glitter in my face, is it?"

She snickered and shook her head. "No, no surprise effects. I did use glitter, but not for that. Promise. Now close 'em."

He did as she asked, wondering what she'd come up with this time that would warrant the 'wait-and-see' approach.

"Okay, you can open your eyes now."

So he did, gaze falling onto a very heartwarming sight. On the page she'd turned to was the scene that had played out earlier that evening. Cave walls and crystals made of felt and shimmery material served as the background, each individual crystal outlined in glitter. And in the center of the page: a felt version of Branch holding a pink felt Poppy in his arms, their lips and limbs intertwined.

With his finger, Branch carefully traced the edges of their scrapbook counterparts, following the outline of their hair and each indentation of their embracing figures. He looked over at Poppy, who was smiling softly at him in return.

"I wasn't about to pass on a chance to scrapbook our first kiss. It was way too special not to. Oh, and for a small added touch…" She turned a wheel built in to the side of the page, altering the rocky scenery so that a trio of shimmering hearts appeared above the pair of trolls as they kissed.

She leaned forward. "Soooo…you like it?"

He was still tracing various parts of the detailed scrapbook page when he answered in a quiet voice. "I love it."

"Yay!" she squealed. She shut the scrapbook, set it down by her feet, and slipped her arms around him in a hug, beaming brightly.

He drew her in and held her close, exhaling in a contented hum as he rested his cheek atop her head.

"I'd really like to see that poem when you're done writing it."

"If it's worthy of sharing, I'll let you be the first to give it a listen. Deal?"

"Deal!"

Reaching down, he took hold of her hand, their fingers lacing.

They fell silent then, listening to the crackle of the fire and watching the embers float up and vanish amongst the smoke.

Poppy was the first to break the silence a few minutes later. "Branch?" she asked.

"Hmm?"

"I was just wondering…what does this make us now?"

"What do you mean?"

"I mean like…are we, you know…dating now?"

He felt a light frown tug at his lips. "I…don't know. I'm not really sure how this works, to be honest…"

"Well, is that something you'd want? Because I do."

"Yes," he said, barely giving her a chance to finish her sentence. "Yes, absolutely."

A brilliant blush rushed to her cheeks, eyes lidded, her magenta gaze fixed on him. "Then ask me."

Oh.

Oh, she was actually going to _make_ him do it. How had he not seen that coming?

Though he had to admit, it was a justified form of payback, and well deserved.

"Uh…o-okay…" He shifted, unlooping his arm from around her so he could hold both of her hands in his. He licked his lips as they'd become very dry all of a sudden, and he tried, so very hard, to ignore the unsteady pounding of his heart. She'd just told him she wanted this, why was he so nervous?

"Poppy?"

"Yes, Branch?" She asked in a husky voice as she batted her lashes, because naturally, she would get a kick out of making this that much harder for him. Damn that cheeky, clever, incredible girl.

"Will y-…" His voice died in his throat and he took a deep breath, readying for a second attempt. He squeezed her hands and kept his gaze locked on hers. "Will you be my girlfriend?"

"Oh I'd love to, Branch." She spoke in that same husky voice, but he could hear the delight breaking through, could see it in the smile so wide it had those adorable dimples forming on her cheeks.

He hadn't realized he'd been holding his breath until he blew it out in a lengthy huff, shoulders dropping as his whole frame went lax.

Relieved, he brought her left hand to his lips and placed a warm kiss on her knuckles. He'd been rather pleased to see the blush on her cheeks deepening in response. A lovely added bonus.

"Did you really think I was going to say no?"

"I was really hoping you wouldn't."

She gently rubbed her nose against his. "You silly, handsome troll."

He crinkled his nose from the affectionate contact. "Never thought someone would use those two words to describe me."

She shrugged. "First time for everything."

He was about to wrap his arms around her again but stopped. "Hey, wasn't there something else you wanted to show me?"

"Oh! Yes, almost forgot." She retrieved her scrapbook again, turning to the back cover and pulling out a sheet of paper. "I was talking to Satin and Chenille the other day and I asked if they could help me make a dress I could wear when I skate my routine. We started tossing ideas back and forth, and this is what we came up with."

Branch took the paper from her, studying the image on it. The dress had a scheme consisting of two basic colors. The bodice was depicted in a rather pretty shade of lavender. From shoulder to forearm, the sleeves were lavender as well. Then they transitioned to a light powder blue that flared out but gathered to cuffed sleeves at the wrist. The neckline was a circular band covered in iridescent jewels that trailed down the front of the bodice in a triangular shape. The cuff of each sleeve was adorned in this same type of jewel.

The skirt appeared to be constructed using strips of fabric resembling flower petals. They started out in the powdery blue color and then smoothly blended back into lavender three-quarters of the way down, the tips coated in what looked like white glitter.

"What do you think?"

His head tilted to one side, brow pinched as he scrutinized each detail individually. "It would need to allow for enough aerodynamics that you could pull off your jumps without added complication, so as long as it ticks that box, I think it's great."

"Yea I know being able to move in it is important, but I was asking more about the look itself. Do you think I can pull off the dress?"

"O-oh. Well yea, sure. I mean, this is just a drawing, so it's hard to imagine what it would look like on you, but I think you could certainly do it justice. You look great in just about anything."

"You're not just saying that because I said yes to being your girlfriend, are you?"

"No," he chuckled. "I mean it. Honestly, I think you looked great even when you were wearing that giant Sweet Beet costume for that dance party you threw last month…what was it called? _Drop the Beet, That's My Jam._ Yea, that was the one."

"Okay, now I _know_ you're lying."

"I am not. I thought the party was kind of ridiculous, but I did like the costume. Red's very becoming on you."

After carefully storing the sketch back inside her scrapbook, she turned and lunged for him, hands first. "You take that back, that party was some of my best work!"

He caught her hands and gave a hearty laugh, gently wrestling with her. "I do recall a lot of trolls going crazy over the beet jam, dubbing it their new favorite food topping. But the whole idea was lacking in the creative department for me. And some of those decorations looked like they may have been recycled, if I'm not mistaken."

Her eyes narrowed as she flashed a wicked look. "Ooh you're gonna be sorry you said that. You better take it back, before I make you."

He narrowed his eyes right back and offered an impish little smirk of his own. "Never," he said in a near whisper.

The sound of their laughter mingled as they playfully shoved at each other. Eventually, they both fell off the rock they'd been sitting on, flipping and tumbling onto the ground. Their fun little wrestling match concluded with the pair lying on their sides, facing each other and both laughing so hard they could barely breathe.

"You're a formidable opponent," said Branch, holding his stomach as he fell victim to another round of laughter. He took in a few deep inhales of air, waiting for his breathing to level back out before he spoke again. "I guess I can take it back."

"No," she panted, grinning and shaking her head, her features tinted red from the fire's light, reminding him how the color was, indeed, so very becoming on her. "No, you know what? I agree. Maybe next time we have a food-centered party, I'll consult you to help me plan it out."

"Oh? And what makes you think you could persuade me to take on such a project so easily?"

"I have my ways. I can be _very_ persuasive when I wanna be."

Intrigued, he raised his eyebrows. "Really now?"

She nodded and curved one hand against his cheek, sliding it down, letting each finger just barely graze his jawline. Whatever further actions she had in mind were ceased, however, by her growling stomach. The sound made her freeze up immediately before she burst into shrill giggling, and it had Branch laughing right along with her.

"How about I fix us something to eat?" he suggested as he stood and brushed himself off. "And then maybe afterwards, you can give a go at 'persuading' me again."

She nodded, shaking dirt off her dress. "Okay. It's your fault, though. All this talk of food is making me hungry."

"I take full responsibility," he jested with a grin, helping her get cozy in front of the fire again.

The two enjoyed a delicious dinner, the main course prepared over the fire. Poppy provided dessert from her collection of confectionary treats she'd brought for the trip. They ended their meal sharing a roasted marshtato, and afterward, something overhead had Poppy gasping and pointing up. "Branch! Look!"

Swallowing the last morsel of marshtato, he picked his head up in time to see a shooting star zip across the sky.

At his side, Poppy had closed her eyes and clasped her hands together.

"Are you making a wish?" he guessed.

She peeked over at him, lowering her hands. "I was, yes. And don't even think about asking me what I wished for. I really want this one to come true." She leaned against him. "Did you make one too?"

"No."

"Why not?!"

"Because I highly doubt a star cares about my wants and needs."

"You might be surprised."

Life had already thrown many a surprise at him already, that much was certain. Maybe this time, she knew something that he didn't.

"But it's too late…the star's gone now."

"Doesn't matter. You can still make one. C'mon, what do you have to lose?"

He felt a little awkward, but nonetheless, he bowed his head, eyes slipping shut…and he wished. And when he'd finished, the first thing he saw was Poppy wandering over to stand in the middle of their campsite, staring up at the night sky with a dreamy smile.

He came over to stand next to her, gaze sweeping over what had to be thousands of glimmering stars against an endless sea of black.

"Made your wish?" she asked.

"I did."

She nodded, still staring up at the sky. "Good."

"It's a really beautiful night," he noted.

"Isn't it?" she agreed with an awestruck sigh.

Branch could tell there was something more she wanted to say. He'd gotten accustomed to reading her as of late. But ever the patient troll, he stood quietly and waited until she glanced his way once more.

"I've always wanted to share a dance with someone under the stars. I've never done it, but I've wanted to for a long time."

"Never?" That came as quite a shock to him. No one had ever swept her off her feet under the light of the moon? As in, ever?

She shook her head.

"We can make that happen right now. If you want."

"Really?" she asked, her voice carrying an excited cadence. But her thrill quickly faded to disappointment, eyes cast down. "Oh, I just remembered…we don't have any music."

"Sure we do. Here, I'll lead and you follow me." He paced backward a few steps, looking around to make sure they had enough room. Then he extended his hand to her. "Poppy? May I have this dance?"

Her eyes were set ablaze as she accepted his hand, nodding with an exuberant smile that made his heart skitter.

Branch pulled Poppy towards him, holding his arm out parallel to the ground, grasping her right hand with his left. His other hand came to rest on her shoulder blade.

Guiding her to take step back as he stepped forward, he led them both into a series of slow circles. As they stepped and turned, he held her gaze, and began to sing.

 _In your arms_

 _I find the courage_

 _In your arms_

 _I gather strength_

He brought her closer, into a position that was less proper and more intimate, their bodies pressed flush against one another as he touched his forehead to hers.

 _Have you heard?_

 _Have I told you?_

 _I just want to hold you._

 _Grow old with you in my arms._

He felt her leaning into him, her lips parted and eyes heavily lidded.

He led them into another slow, graceful circle, Poppy laying her head on his chest and voicing a happy sound as he spun them both into one smooth rotation, then another.

 _In your arms_

 _I hide no secrets_

 _In your arms_

 _I feel no fear._

 _There is something so right_

 _With you here tonight_

 _When I'm holding you in-_

 _My whole world starts to spin_

 _When I'm holding you in my arms_

The two stepped and circled, traveling around the border of their little campsite. Gently, Branch spun his dance partner out. But instead of pulling her back in, he wrapped his arms around her from behind, the edge of his nose gliding over the junction of her neck and shoulder. He breathed a laugh as he felt her shiver in his hold. When she'd recovered, Poppy joined in:

 _If this is a dream,_

 _Don't wake me._

 _If I give myself,_

 _Just take me._

Coaxing her to turn back around to face him, he lifted her up. Her arms poised on either side of her head, fingers outstretched, she reached straight up to the sky. As he lowered her and set her back on her feet, they both sang.

 _With my eyes, I feel you_

 _With every breath, reveal you_

 _My everything_

 _There is nothing more._

He tenderly caressed her cheek, her head lulling into his touch. With small measured movements, he guided them back into a basic box step, but it wasn't the gliding waltz it had been before. Now it was a slow dance. Very relaxed, very simple, and edging right towards amorous, his arms around her waist and hers linked around his neck. Their feet didn't move in true steps anymore so much as they languidly dragged against the earth, the pair enveloped in the fire's warmth as they swayed back and forth.

 _You are all that I feel_

 _There is nothing more real_

 _When I'm holding you_

 _In my arms_

He crooned the last verse and then dipped her low, mesmerized by the reflection of countless stars shining in striking pools of magenta.

"How was that?" he asked. "For your first dance under the stars? Meet your expectations?"

She shook her head very slowly, eyes still half-lidded. "No…it completely exceeded them. I had no idea you could dance like that."

He chuckled. "We've got a lot to learn about each other."

"We really do."

A deafening thunderclap boomed, causing them both to jump in fright and cling to each other tightly.

They had been so lost in their own little world, they hadn't seen the storm closing in.

The two scrambled to pick up all their belongings and safely store them in their tents. With that taken care of, all that was left was to retreat into said tents to wait out the rain.

Poppy looked from her tent to Branch's, worrying her lip and looking terribly conflicted.

And Branch understood, for he too felt this confliction. Their relationship had evolved into something much deeper tonight, and they both knew it. They'd just shared the most romantic evening, and now they were supposed to wave and say good night from afar, like good buddies hanging out?

That was the last thing he wanted, and Poppy didn't look like she wanted it either.

He jerked a thumb over his shoulder. "Do you, uh, want to—"

"Of course I do!" she answered in a rush. A raindrop fell down with a _splat_ and nearly drenched the pink troll. She shrieked, pushing him towards his tent. "Hurry, we're gonna get soaked!"

Branch took her by the wrist and they ran through the falling rain. Once he reached the tent, he pushed the thick leaves out of the way, helping her in and hastily following.

He sighed, shaking excess water from his hair as he used a piece of hanging vine to thread both leaves back together, and used a second one to really secure them in place. "That should do the trick. Now we'll be dry."

Poppy had made herself busy wiggling under the blanket of the pallet he'd laid out. "Wow, your blanket's almost as soft as mine! That's insane."

He gave a look of mock offense. "What? Just 'cause I like to rough it doesn't mean I deny myself comfortable sleeping conditions when I camp."

She snorted, settling into his pallet with a contented hum. "Got my approval." She shook her hair about. The dry strands stood up, while the wet pieces lay limp and curled downward by her face. "I really appreciate you making a tent for me, even though I'm not using it."

He shrugged indifferently. "It's not like the work was without its reward."

She jumped suddenly at another loud thunderclap, gripping the blanket with a faint whimper. "Is Ripple gonna be okay out there?"

"Oh yea, he'll be fine. He's got that little shelter I set up for him, and if that's not enough, there's plenty of roots and bushes nearby to hide under. Remember he calls the outside world home."

"Yea…"

Aware that she really did seem troubled, his tone softened. "I'm sure he's found a place to stay warm until the rain stops. Don't worry."

"I hope so."

Branch knelt down and slid in beside her. His ears twitched to the sound of her teeth chattering as she shivered. "C'mere," he said, gently pulling her to him, arms hugged around her middle. He rubbed his hands along her arms until her shivering subsided. Then his arms went right back around her waist as he let his forehead rest against hers.

"Branch? Are you…snuggling me?"

"You sound shocked."

"Well I just thought…you told me it's not for you!"

"I'm trying to keep an open mind."

She made a pleased sound akin to a squeal, burrowing into his chest. "The village survivalist has given the art of snuggling a try. I'm so proud!"

"Alright, ease up." His grin leveled out, mouth falling open and eyes rolling back, closing with a shuddering breath as delicate fingers sifted through the hair at the base of his head. It had the most pleasant of tingles surging down his arms and legs.

"Is this okay?" she asked. "If you don't want me to touch your hair, just tell me and I'll stop."

Branch frowned. Oh Poppy. Sweet, wonderful Poppy. So concerned with what others wanted. Why was she so good? "You wouldn't really be that cruel, would you?"

Her breathy laughter felt blessedly warm against his neck. Drowsiness set in fast as she kept running her fingers through his hair. How long had it been, since someone had done that?

Decades. But somehow, it had felt even longer.

He huffed and turned his head, pressing his nose to her shoulder as her hands rested on his upper back.

"Uh-huh, what did I tell ya?" she sang proudly. "Snuggling's great, isn't it?"

"It is," he murmured, allowing himself a happy little moan. "It really is."

She laughed again, lightly brushing her nose across the spot under his chin. "Told yooou."

He reached up and fondly combed her bangs back, thumb stroking a sparkly cheek in a very gentle manner. "Although, it might just be that I like it because it's you, and it's your arms that are around me."

"Mmmm, well either way, for someone who doesn't think much of snuggling, you're very good at it." With a contented smile, she nuzzled into his neck. "You're an amazing dance partner too," she added, yawning.

Chuckling, he languidly slid his hand across her back, caressing it in soothing strokes. "Thank you. It helps tremendously, when the girl dancing with you is as beautiful as you are."

She stared up at him with wide eyes. "You think I'm beautiful?"

He blinked. "I…thought you knew that already."

With her fingertip, she traced the edges of his collarbone. "You've never said it before," she whispered.

Clearly, this was a matter in need of his full attention, so he shifted and propped himself up on an elbow so he could look at her directly. "Poppy, I find you so beautiful that for years it physically broke my heart."

"Broke your heart?"

"Well, yea. I mean I didn't actually think that someone like you would ever want…someone…like me."

Her voice got even softer, so soft that it was only thanks to his keen ears that he even caught it. "Why would you think that?"

"Because…" He paused to gather his thoughts, and she lay beside him, looking extremely invested in what he had to say. "Your soul gives off one of the brightest and warmest lights I've ever reveled in. Even when you were younger. You were always so kind and caring. Always looking out for your friends, wanting everyone to be happy. And I was this…this ugly little grey blemish, consumed by anger and sadness, things any sane troll would shy away from. I was a shadow, and shadows know better than to stand next to light. They stay back, and away, where they belong." Lips forming a tight line, he began to lightly trail his finger up and down her forearm. "I think…aside from being afraid that the Bergens would find us again, maybe that was another reason I was so distant. From everyone, but from you especially." He slid two fingers along her arm now, grateful for how the simple touch of her skin kept him grounded. "If I never put myself in a position where I could actually tell you how you made me feel, then I could never be scorned for it. I wouldn't be laughed out of the village for telling the princess how endlessly enchanting I found her, and how I adored every song she sang and every invitation she crafted and hand-delivered to me." He swallowed down a pesky lump trying to set up shop in his throat and took a breath before he continued. "So keeping my distance was the most feasible option. It wasn't easier, and it hurt. A lot. But it was the best way my younger self knew to guard a heart littered with scars. So…to answer your question, yes, I think you are very, very beautiful, Poppy. Always have. Only now it's a beauty I appreciate for vastly different reasons."

To his surprise, she looked upset. Her lips parted and she moved to kneel at his side. He thought she was about to say something, but all she did was wrap her arms tightly around him, and remained quiet, the only sounds to enter his ears being their steady breathing and the falling rain outside their tent.

"I'm so glad you told me that," she mumbled after a lengthy minute of silence. Her voice sounded so meek at first, but it quickly garnered a peculiar intensity with what followed as she gripped his arms. "But don't you _ever_ call yourself ugly again. Okay? Promise me you won't. Because you're not, and you never were. You were unhappy, and lonely and confused. But you've been able to rise above that. Because you're strong. You're one of the strongest trolls I've ever known, Branch." Boldly, she pressed her palm to his chest. "Having scars doesn't make you ugly, it just shows the world how strong you are. And this heart right here, is beautiful, not despite its scars, but because of who they've helped you become." She moved her palm so she could press her lips to the spot directly over his heart. "I don't ever want you to think you're not enough, ever again. You're worth so much more than you think. You're not a shadow, you have light to give too, and it's a wonderful light. You just can't see it." She cupped his face in her hands, and he could swear her eyes looked like they were about to mist up. "Now _promise me_."

He didn't think he could possibly love her any more than he already did, but there she went again, proving him wrong. Maybe being wrong wasn't always such a bad thing after all.

"Alright, I promise," he whispered. He brought her closer and ran his nose across her temple. "Now, could I seal that promise with a kiss good night?"

She scoffed but was grinning despite it. "…really? You're seriously asking me if it's okay to give me a kiss?"

"I'm just making sure," he answered, tone speared by a swell of nerves.

She grinned, their noses touching as she nodded. "Of course you can."

Slipping his arms up to loop them around her neck, he tilted his head, closing his eyes as their lips met in another spellbinding kiss. And in that instant all nervousness dissipated and he was gone, diving head first into a freefall and plunging deep into the waters of euphoria.

Only two kisses in and he was already addicted. And he thought he was in trouble before…he didn't have a clue.

They parted, and Poppy nestled herself against his side with a blissful little sigh, laying her head on his chest after he'd stretched out on his back.

"You don't need to ask me," she told him. "If you ever want to, even if it's just because, the answer is yes, and it's always yes."

"That's really good to know. And same goes for you."

She smiled, pillowing her cheek against his chest. "Good night, Branch."

"Good night, Poppy," he answered. Such a phrase he'd only used once before, and this time, it was spoken in tenderness and undisputable sincerity.

One arm loosely hugged around her, he began to drift off to the pattering rain outside. Right before he gave in to his mind and body's need for rest, three more little words tumbled out into the open.

"My beautiful angel."

And then sleep lured him under.

[][][]

A boyfriend.

She had a boyfriend!

It was practically all Poppy could think about upon waking the next morning. She sat up with a squeaky yawn, stretching. And right in mid-stretch, she stopped, hit by a wave of giddiness as thoughts of last night started coming back to her. Now she couldn't stop smiling.

Branch, all through his own doing, had devised a big plan and took her out on this stirring getaway trip, shedding light on a touching piece of her family history.

And then, after asking if she'd be his girlfriend, in a way that was so genuine that she didn't foresee getting over it any time soon, he gave the young queen her first dance beneath the stars. And not a typical sort of dancing trolls engage in on any given day either. This had been no casual two-step. Not at all. Branch, the ever guarded and cautious troll, had held her in those delightfully strong arms of his and led her through a slow dance that was easily the most romantic one she'd ever shared with anyone.

That alone would have been enough for her, but then he went the extra mile and serenaded her all throughout. In that golden voice. One sweet as honey and soft as silk. Resonating with such devotion that her knees had come close to buckling by the second verse.

And for the cherry on top, they'd fallen asleep snuggled together in his tent… _their_ tent. Semantics didn't matter, she'd fallen asleep curled up on Branch's chest. That's how her night had ended.

To think, all of this had unfolded because Branch thought she needed a little help figuring out what was serving as her motivation with this whole ice skating tradition.

It was rousing a desire within her to turn something else into a tradition too. With him at her side.

But she'd need to ask him first, and she couldn't do that right now, because right now, he was still snoozing away beside her.

As she watched him sleep, she lay on her side of the pallet, mapping out every square inch of his handsome face. She began at the thick, dark eyebrows that would occasionally pinch up and then smooth out as he would relax again. Down to the light purple nose sitting just below, the chiseled jawline and deep creases that lined his cheeks. Settling after on his cute little mouth. Out of which had come everything from stern reminders to be careful, to playful teases, to poetic professions and affectionate compliments, to beautiful lyrics, sung just for her.

Lips didn't just create words and lyrics, though. They could ignite passion too. Something she felt with every fiber of her excitable being as he kissed her. The mere memory of it had her blushing like mad now, her face growing unbearably hot.

She wondered if she'd been his first kiss. He'd kept his distance for so long, but he did come out into the open from time to time. Usually to express his fear that the Bergens would find them and everyone needed to stay hidden and quiet. Other than that, he was hardly ever around.

Still, she hoped, even if she hadn't been the only one, that she could be his one and only from here on out.

Only when Branch had started to stir did her reverie dissolve.

Mumbling something incoherent, he took a deep breath through his nose as his eyes cracked open.

He blinked, scrubbing at his eyes with the heel of his hand. His gaze lifted and when their eyes met, she smiled.

"Hey there," she said in quiet sing-song. "Good morning."

"Hi," he whispered back, looking all around, but did so slowly, moving the way a timid critter does when it first ventures out of its den.

He laid his head against the pillow and had gotten so quiet that she thought he was surely about to fall back asleep. And then he called her name.

"Poppy?"

"Yes?"

He stared up at the tent's leafy ceiling. "Did…all of that last night…actually happen?"

"All of what?" Yea right, no way was he getting off _that_ easy. He'd have to be a lot more specific.

"The um…" He picked his hand up, moving it in small circular motions. "The kissing, and the dancing…"

She nodded. "And you asking me if I'd be your girlfriend."

His hand fell back at his side. "And you said yes." It came out in a low, breathy whisper, like he couldn't believe his own words.

Poppy nodded again. "And I said yes," she repeated softly.

He continued to stare off into space. "Wow…"

"Wow what?"

He hooked an arm around her waist, bringing her to him. "Wow, reality is finally a breathtaking reflection of my wildest dreams."

Her grin widened as he touched his lips to her forehead. "Well, what would you like to spend this day's reality doing? Got anything in mind?"

"Nope." His lips pressed a feather-light trail from her forehead down to the base of her ear. "I'd be perfectly content to stay right here all day."

She sat up with a slight scoff. "Ugh, not me. Come on Branch, we can't just lay around, not when there's a great big world waiting just outside." She fought against the knotted vines, untying them and pushing the leaves apart. "The rain's all gone and the sun is out! Let's go explore! And we can take stuff for a picnic, I bet we can find a really pretty spot somewhere close by."

"Long as you're here, I've got all the pretty I need."

"Braaaanch!" she drawled out in an almost-whine.

"Okay, okay," he laughed. "We should probably bring our pal along though, to cover more ground, and in case we need a quick escape."

She poked her head outside of the tent. "Ripple!" she called. "Hey Ripple! You wanna take us out for a picnic?"

The quinlyr had dashed over to her in record time. He drummed his front paws on the ground, tickling her with his nose and sniffing at her hair.

"Think that's as close to a yes as you're gonna get," said Branch.

"I'll take it!" She came back over to Branch's side so she could hug him, sliding a hand down his cheek, fingers slipping into his hair. "And thank you for the compliment, that didn't go unnoticed."

He tipped his head back, a moan already building in his throat. "See, you keep doing that and my head's gonna hit the pillow again in a good five seconds, and I'll bring you right back down with me when I go."

"No!" she squealed, grabbing him by his wrists and tugging him into a more upward position. "Come on, up we go, up up up! I will not let you sleep this day away."

He grumbled, but the noise held no malice. With a stretch and a smirk, he surrendered, nosing into her neck once he was back on his feet. "You're lucky I like you."

She tittered from the tingles coursing under her skin and supplied him a coquettish little wink. "Don't I know it."

[]

On the back of their feathered furry friend, Branch and Poppy took an aerial tour through the valley, each one pointing out sights that caught their eye. And parts deemed safe enough by Branch were visited, both taking in all the wonder the entrancing valley had to offer. Poppy took the time to befriend a group of locals as well. She even got some conversation out of them, though she couldn't actually what they said, as it was all clicking sounds and buzzing. But that didn't change anything. A friend was a friend, no matter what language they spoke.

For their picnic spot, they'd chosen a patch of moss growing over a bay of roots. The tree they nourished stood on a grassy hill that overlooked a picturesque meadow full of wildflowers.

Poppy brought her blanket. They set it out, along with what they'd packed in a basket. The two munched on acorn salad, blackberry cream puffs, and shared a frittata that Branch had whipped up earlier with the aid of his trusty frying pan.

Afterward, they rested, watching Ripple dive through the tall grass below as he dashed after butterflies and other creepy-crawlies roaming the meadow floor.

"He's very dedicated to the game of chase," Poppy joked.

"Mhm," Branch agreed, laying on his back and placing his hands behind his head. "His energy and optimism encompass a tale with no end. Reminds me of someone else I know." He glanced her way.

She held his gaze for a moment, before her own strayed to the scenic bed of flowers beyond their picnic perch. And the longer she stared, the more lost in thought she became.

She jumped suddenly at the feeling of fingers prodding at her hip and looked down. He was staring intently at her, an inquiring furrow in his brow.

"You contemplating the meaning of life over there?"

She grinned. "No, not exactly…but I _was_ thinking…"

"Figures, you were so quiet over there. What's on your mind?"

"Well…I um, wanted to ask you…" Pushing a strand of her hair back, she trailed off, biting her lip hard enough that she hurt herself.

He squeezed her hip with one of his large but gentle hands. "Ask me what?" he encouraged.

She toyed with the hem of her dress a moment, and then she came right out with it.

"Do you wanna have kids, Branch?"

When he didn't say anything, she glanced over at him. The cerulean troll looked like he was choking. Eyes wide in realization, she threw her hands up. "Oh gosh, not now, I didn't mean right now!"

He sighed sharply and gripped his chest. "Geez Poppy, you almost gave me a heart attack!"

"I'm sorry…" Her lips pressed together in a tight line as she continued to fiddle with her dress, finally smoothing out the skirt and leaving it be. "I meant, you know…one day?" Her eyes fell to her lap. "I know it's probably way, _way_ too early to be talking about this with you, but I was just thinking about Mom's tradition, and then hearing about how my parents found this place and carved their names on that cave wall…and I had this crazy idea to turn that into a tradition too. But I'd really like to honor it in the same sort of way they did. You know, minus the whole being imprisoned part."

Still he didn't answer, staring up at the rolling clouds in pensive silence.

Her head dropped as a pang of remorse struck her in the heart. "It's okay, I get it if you don't. Really. It was too soon to ask you, I'm sorry I brought it up. Forget I asked, okay?"

"No, it's not…" He shook his head. "It's not…like I haven't thought about it, and it's not like it's something I wouldn't want…"

Moving to lie on her side, the pink troll frowned. "Okay…so you do want kids one day…or you don't?" He was being so vague and it was killing her! But she'd never get an answer if she pried any further.

 _Cut him some slack!_ she mentally chided herself. _You two haven't even officially been an item for a full day yet and you're bringing up wanting kids. Knock it off, you're gonna scare the poor guy right back into his bunker!_

And she really, really didn't want to do that, so she tried to tread carefully. Because as much as she didn't want to scare him away, she desperately wanted to know where he stood on the matter.

He heaved a deep sigh. "I dunno, Poppy…something tells me I wouldn't make the greatest parent. I mean, based on my stellar track record," he deadpanned. "With kids and other trolls in general."

"You're getting better every day." She reached out and rubbed his arm. "You have to stop being so hard on yourself. We don't hold anything against you from before, and you shouldn't hold anything against yourself either. Unless it's me."

An impressed grin crossed his face. "When did you get so witty?"

"You're rubbing off on me?" she guessed. "But hey, could I maybe switch it up just a little bit and ask you something else that's personal?"

"Mm, depends on what you want to know."

"Okay, but before I ask about what I want to know, I want _you_ to know that if you don't want to talk about it, we don't have to. I don't want to make you uncomfortable, I just…" She shrugged. "I want to know you better."

"…okay…"

"Okay…tell me about your parents? What were they like?"

He fell eerily still and quiet, and Poppy was a millisecond away from throwing in the conversational towel completely.

Until…

"There was no one in the world like them. No one. They loved life. Adored it, actaully. Loved each other, so much. Loved me too. Told me all the time. We spent every single day together. And Grandma was always right there with us. Back then, fun and laughter were things had daily. We would play games, set up baking experiments, build blanket forts and spend hours on end in the world of pretend. You name it, we did it." He was far away now, gaze unfocused as he went on. "My dad was my hero. He taught me how to dance. Taught me about the constellations too. Stargazing was his favorite hobby, did it all the time. And Mom, she was like our own little family doctor; she always had a remedy for any ailment in existence. Cold, stomachache, fever, whatever it was, rest assured she'd have something in her medicine cabinet that would help in one way or another. Her hair smelled so sweet and I loved to take naps in it. She had the softest skin too, could never get enough of her hugs. Dad gave great hugs too, but he didn't hug as much as he liked to tickle me. And he showed no mercy. Always kept at it until I would almost pass out from thrashing nonstop in his grip. They would take turns cooking meals, dancing with each other in the kitchen while the most wonderful smells filled the whole pod. Then, every night at bedtime, they would tuck me in with a story or a song. Sometimes both. And if Grandma was still awake, she'd be part of our little ritual too."

Poppy had rolled onto her stomach, chin resting between her palms, absorbing every word like her life depended on it. "What was your dad's name?"

"Birch."

"And your mom's?"

"Juniper."

"Ohhh that's so beautiful," she whispered.

"Yea. They named me after her. Dad's name offered no inspiration. None whatsoever."

Poppy slapped a palm to her mouth and snorted. "Of course. That's obvious."

Branch smiled back at her. "Dad was a great teacher too. He didn't just teach me how to dance and point out pictures made of stars, he also taught me how to swim in the summer, and ice skate in the winter. And mom was usually right there, cheering me on…" His smile faded slowly but surely. "I was young when they were taken, but not so young that I don't remember them."

"And would you say that they were good parents?"

"The best parents a troll could ask for. Without a doubt."

Poppy beamed. "Then I don't think you have anything to worry about." She traced patterns on the blanket beneath them. "I don't really remember much of anything about my mom before she was taken. But I do remember this one song. It was so pretty. I don't know the words but the melody stayed with me. I think it was some kind of lullaby?" Her shoulders lifted in a small shrug. "I can't really remember what she looked like either, but I know she was beautiful. And that she loved me. And that's what comes to mind when I think about her. Hearing that melody, and just being all bundled up in this big blanket of love." She wrapped both her hands around his. "Sounds like, despite the scary circumstance surrounding life in the tree, our upbringings were made of some pretty great stuff."

He gazed down at her, that faraway look still in his eyes as he nodded. "Yea…"

With a low hum, she touched her cheek to his hand. "Thank you for telling me, it's so nice, getting to know you more."

" _You_." He gave her nose a light poke, narrowing his eyes. "You tricked me. You invited me out for an interrogation and dressed it up as a picnic. I should've known."

"Oh come on, I'm not that devious. And you know what, I don't even need to have an answer right now. We can stick a bookmark in this little family discussion and talk about it another time, when and if you feel up to it. We'll have all the time in the world to talk about those kinds of things later on."

"That would be great," he said, physically relaxing before her eyes. "My main focus right now is helping you get your big routine polished and completed. And I think, to tell you the truth, what would work best for me, is if we could just take this whole 'us' thing one step at a time?"

"Kind of like a dance?"

He laughed, and it gave way to one of his heart-stopping smiles. "Kind of like a dance, yea."

His smile was such a contagious thing, and had her offering one just as big in return. "Sure. That would be just fine with me."

"Thank you."

She patted his hand with another chipper hum and hopped up, setting to work picking things up and placing them back in the basket. "I guess we should probably get going soon, if we want to get back home before dark."

"Probably." He got to his feet and helped her tidy up. Once they were finished, he rested his hands on her hips, enticing her forward. "Hey. I want you to know, this has been one of the most memorable weekends of my entire life."

Poppy was brimming with joy at that. "Mine too," she said, her arms wound loosely around his neck. "I'm never gonna forget it. I just hate that it's almost over…

"We'll just have to take more getaway trips like this. You, me, and the berry-eating butterfly-chaser over there."

She was biting that lip of hers again, nodding vigorously in elation. "Yes please."

[]

They'd made a final stop at camp to gather everything they'd need to bring back home with them. Poppy had taken one last look at the breathtaking valley, making an unspoken vow to return one day.

Then they were on their way, flying through the clouds, heading back to Troll Village.

Branch had put on his coat and boots and insisted she do the same. And boy was she glad she'd listened to him, for when they made it back, they were welcomed by the harshest sting of unspeakably frigid winds.

"I'd almost forgotten how cold winter is." Seized by a shiver, Poppy yanked her earmuffs from her backpack and pulled them on.

"Wish I could forget," Branch bemoaned with a scowl, tying his scarf around his neck.

"You look so handsome in your coat though."

"Yea?" After hopping down onto the snowy ground, he fixed the collar, smoothing it down. "Think I could turn some heads in one of the twins' fashion shows?"

"Oh I know you could."

He pointed at her with an amused smirk. "Don't you get any ideas."

She couldn't hold her laugh in as he helped her down. Snow crunched under her boots as she walked around to stand in front of the quinlyr. When the animal lowered his head, she reached up and petted his ears. "Thanks for taking me and Branch on our little trip, Ripple."

Ripple purred, nuzzling against her.

"Yea I just might keep you around," Branch teased, patting the creature's jaw. Then he looked to Poppy. "So, what's on your agenda today?"

"I have to find Smidge, make sure nothing got destroyed or burned down while I was gone. Probably help with any cleaning up that needs to be done, or decorating for the next party. And I'm dying to get back out on the ice. But I'm sure you've got some stuff that needs to be taken care of too?"

"Yea," he nodded. "I've got some chores to see to. Gotta stock my bunker with more firewood, make sure the pipes aren't frozen or leaking, clean the ashes out of the fireplace, make dinner, oh and shovel snow off the lift so I can even get inside in the first place."

"That's quite a list. I should let you get to it, and I need to head back to the village. But um, about practice, could we start back up tomorrow? I know we normally meet in the morning, but I'm supposed to have breakfast with Suki, and afterward I'm going to meet up with Guy, he has some ideas he wants to run by me for Biggie's birthday, and then Hazel's quinceanhaira is tomorrow afternoon, and I promised her mom I'd be there to say something for the toast, and help pass out favors."

He hummed in thought. "We could practice after the party?"

"Okay, great! There's always a fancy dinner after the toast, so I could leave as soon we finish up with that."

"So, after dinner then. How about sunset? It'll get dark on us quick, but we'd at least have some time to work on your axel."

"That sounds perfect! That's not gonna be too late for you is it?"

"Nah, not at all."

"Awesome! So then I'll see you at the lakeside, tomorrow at sunset."

"At sunset," he answered with a nod.

"Okay!" She wrapped him in one last hug. "Thank you again, for everything."

"Don't mention it. I had a really great time."

She gazed up at him and tapped him on the nose. "I'll miss you," she murmured. "You gonna miss me?"

"Trust me Poppy, I'll have a hard time thinking coherently until I see you again."

Her lips were on his then, and she smiled into the kiss, feeling his arms slip around her and hold her tight. And listening to way his breath hitched when her teeth slid against his lower lip had her feeling more than just a little bit smug.

When they parted, he was sighing, head nodding over and over again. "Yea…yea I could get used to this."

With an inward giggle, she adjusted his scarf, toying with the tassels and letting them drop as she backed away, waving. "Bye, Boyfriend."

"Bye, Angel. I'll see you soon."

Angel? Had she picked up a nickname? She'd have to ask him about that later. For now, there was a certain best friend of hers in need of tracking down.

[]

The following day dragged on at snail speed. Not to say she wasn't enjoying herself. It was nice to be home again, even if she'd only been gone a couple days.

Oh she'd missed Suki's company. She hadn't been all that aware of how much she'd missed it until they were hugging in the doorway. Her calm presence and laid back demeanor were so comforting, like lazing about in the summer sun. And she didn't grill Poppy about what was going on between her and Branch, opting instead to tell her all about her new playlist she'd put together over a batch of pancakes. Though she did ask where Poppy had been all weekend, and when she explained, Suki's only question to follow was: "Well, 'dya have a good time?"

Good was too dull a word for how she'd felt nestled in Branch's embrace during their snuggle session. But she kept that little tidbit to herself.

To her disbelief, Guy hadn't tried to fish information out of her when they met up later. Then again, she supposed it shouldn't have come as such a shock, since Guy was always in the zone when it came to party planning. He spared no amount of zeal as he pitched her a list of extravagant spectacles he had in mind to put to use. Flashiness was, and always had been, his specialty. And even though gobs of glitz and glitter were not something Biggie preferred, Poppy did like his ideas.

Hazel's bash went off without a hitch, and the teen's mother thanked Poppy profusely for making an appearance. The celebration was still in full swing when she snuck away during the conga line.

Upon leaving, she had to make a quick stop at her own pod to change out of her party dress and into clothing that would be fitting to skate in. She was about to put her skates in her bag but she paused so she could admire them, studying the glittery pieces of crystal, features softening in a sentimental expression.

The trip to Viridian Valley had definitely succeeded in helping her get a handle on her motivation. Now she knew exactly why she wanted to do this, and she was going to make her family proud.

She placed the skates in her bag, buttoned up her coat, and she was off again, heading for the lake.

It came as no surprise to her, at all, that she hadn't been able to stop thinking about Branch ever since they'd parted ways. She craved his touch and warmth…his voice, his kiss…his…everything.

She shook her head briskly, fists clenched at her side. Okay, _enough_. It was time to focus. There was work to be done, a task to accomplish. Plenty of chances for quality time would arise later.

She forced herself into a less…distracted mindset, looking down at the frozen creek before her. She didn't normally go this way, but she was eager to hit the ice and there was no harm in taking a shortcut.

There was a trail that led directly to the lakeside. But in order to get there, she had to reach the far side of the creek. So she hopped up onto the fallen tree that bridged the gap above the body of frozen water and skipped forward.

Halfway across, her foot hit a section of icy bark and she flailed. "Whoa!" she exclaimed, arms wobbling as she tried to keep her balance on the slippery surface. Unfortunately, gravity had other ideas. Her heart stopped as she abruptly fell off the side. In a panic, she whipped her hair out, making every possible attempt to grab onto something with it. Thin twigs and leaves were snatched on the way down, but instead of stopping her plummet, they joined in on the not-so-fun.

She hit the icy creek with a dull thud. Her bag fell off her shoulder and slid several feet away from her. Grunting in slight pain, she scrambled to sit up, and then stand. Thankfully it wasn't a steep enough drop to cause her serious injury, but it had certainly smarted.

She looked over to where her bag had landed. Worried that her skates may have taken some damage, she took a step forward. Then she tensed up at the sound of the ice cracking beneath her.

Slivers splintered out like lightning bolts. The ice crumbled, and she fell through before she even knew what was happening.

She hit the water and went under, frightened as she felt her muscles locking up. The water was so cold, it felt like hundreds of needles piercing her from all sides. Resurfacing, she gasped and coughed, slapping helplessly at the small waves she created in her panicked state.

Acting on instinct, she clambered up and grabbed the edge of the ice hole that had formed around her. Gritting her teeth in fearful determination, she struggled to pull herself up. But her drenched mittens hindered her climb. Her muscles had started working again, to her extreme relief, but they grew weaker the more she used them. She'd never been in water this cold before. And furthermore, didn't know water could even _get_ this cold.

Climbing out ended up being a losing battle, and she winced from the agonizing chill as she fell back into the freezing waters. Coughing and sputtering, she was able to pull herself up one more time and hugged the wall of ice. The most painful hug she'd ever taken part in. But she held on. Because even if she couldn't climb out, holding on to the edge was the next best thing.

She searched for something close enough to grab onto with her hair, but every tree or vine was too far away. Not like it would do her much good; a troll's hair was a powerful tool, but its magical properties required energy to summon. Something Poppy was running out of fast.

…maybe it was still worth a shot. Mustering up the remnants of strength she still had in her, she tried to use her hair to reach out. For anything.

The wet mass of dark pink hair curled up into a corkscrew, only to flop down pathetically against her head.

Hope had never been so short-lived.

As a last resort, she shouted for help.

"Heeeelp!" she wailed between coughs. "Please! Somebody! Anybody! HELP!"

A feeble moan bubbled up in the back of her throat as her grip began to loosen. Her limbs and fingers were tingling, and not in a good way.

An unseen force was pulling her from the conscious world and she wasn't strong enough to resist.

Just as everything began to fade away, Poppy heard a voice screaming her name. A lovely voice that she adored like no other. Weary eyes strained to make out the blurry figure rushing over.

She breathed a weak smile, grateful to have been found. Her hands finally lost their grip on the ice, and she drifted into oblivion's keep.

* * *

 _The song Branch and Poppy sing in this chapter is called_ _ **In Your Arms**_ _. I don't own it, it's from_ _ **The Scarecrow**_ _, one of my all-time favorite animated movies. Yaaay disclaimers._

 _Let's hope Poppy's rescued from that creek before it's too late. Wink wink._


	7. Chapter 7 Risky Games

_Another long one heading your way! I took to Tumblr to ask if I should've split it in two, because I keep getting carried away. Friend and awesome fellow writer **Robotmonkeygirl91** suggested I keep it in one, so one it stays! Thanks a million for the input!_

* * *

Chapter 7 Risky Games

* * *

"Poppy! POPPY!"

His horrified screams sliced through the cold air as he ran at breakneck speed, paying no heed to the sharp pain constricting his lungs. The only thing on his mind was getting to her.

He hadn't a single doubt that what he caught sight of upon reaching the creekside would be burned into his memory until the end of time.

Poppy, clutching desperately at the edge of an ice hole right in the middle of the creek. He could only see the tips of her ears and a mop of drenched hair. The rest of the young queen was hidden from view, submerged in water that had to be unbearably cold.

How long had she been stranded out here, alone? How long had she been shouting before he'd heard her? The thought was already making him sick to his stomach.

Putrid ice and snow. What business did it have, being so hard to run through?!

He maneuvered down to the frozen body of water and slid across it as quickly as he could, wondering all the while if such a dream come true could really mutate into an awful nightmare so fast.

His heart slammed into his ribcage as he saw her fall unconscious and start to slip further down into the water.

Blue hair shot forward and wrapped itself around her tightly. He might've cursed and hissed in shock at the paralyzing sensation of water that was way beyond freezing, but he was running on too much adrenaline to even be totally aware of his senses.

In an unsteady but swift motion, he'd pulled her out and hugged her body against his chest. She was cold. Oh she was way too cold for anything close to comfort. Like a block of ice.

And she wasn't moving.

"Poppy?" He shook her gently. "Hey, Poppy, can you hear me?"

No answer. She simply lay limp in his hold.

His dear friend anxiety had an excruciating grip on his throat now. Hair grabbing hold of a low-hanging limb, he swung himself up and over the ice, landing in the snow. He then yanked his coat off and laid it out on the snowy ground beside the creek. Once he'd placed Poppy down supine on it, he felt for a pulse. For the longest time, he couldn't feel one, and each unrewarding second that went by had his throat caving in on itself a little more.

But, just as full scale panic was planning its foreboding attack, he found it. Dull and worryingly faint, but it was there. The feeble _thump-thump_ of her still beating heart. Relief flooded through him, pooling in the pit of his stomach. She was alive, but barely. They were nowhere near being out of the woods yet.

His wrapped her up in his coat and made a mad dash for the village. He had to get help. _Now._

He ran like mad and didn't stop until he reached a tree that housed a particular pod, the sign hanging over the door swinging violently as the night winds howled their somber ballads. He swung to the higher limbs as fast as he could, shifting to hold Poppy in one arm when he reached the door. His free hand balled into a shaky fist that he banged against it in a string of forceful, pounding knocks.

"Doctor!" he yelled. "Are you there? Open up. Please!" A frantic glance to the window told him there was a fire going and lamps were lit. Surely that had to be a good sign.

He was all set to keep shouting and knocking until he lost his voice and made every one of his knuckles bleed, when the door suddenly opened wide. There stood Dr. Plum Plimsy. She looked like she was getting ready for bed. Or maybe had already been to bed. Either way, she was wide awake, despite the story the fuzzy red robe and slippers tried to tell.

"Branch? What's happened?" she demanded.

"Poppy," he rasped, holding out the unconscious bundle. "F-fell through the ice."

Were he any other troll in the village, he probably would've missed it, but because he was Branch and he was way too damn observant, he didn't miss the very brief widening of her eyes before she took the bundled-up queen and pivoted on her heels. "Come inside. Quickly," she instructed over her shoulder.

Branch shut the door and sprinted after her. His muscles ached from carrying Poppy all the way here, but the ache felt from no longer holding her was far worse.

"Did you try to do chest compressions or mouth-to-mouth?"

"I-I-I was going to, but I felt a pulse." Dread-induced nausea wreaked havoc inside him. "Did it stop?!"

"No no, I can feel it. Just trying to get a better picture of what happened. How long was she in the water? Do you know?"

"No," he answered meekly, gulping past the large lump in his throat. "I'm-m sorry. I-I heard her screaming and when I found her she was trying to climb out and then sh-she fell under. I pulled her out an-and by then she was…she was…l-like this."

"Where did you find her?"

"At the creek. Right near the fallen tree." His breath started to pick up and he placed shaky, clammy palms on either side of his head. "I-I-I don't…I didn't—"

"It's okay, Branch, it's all okay," she calmly assured him. "We'll get her warmed back up. Don't worry. It was good that you took action so quickly. You may have gotten to her just in time. Now go sit right over there in front of the fire. I'll be right back."

"But I—"

"Branch," she stopped him, her stare kind but stern. "You need to get warm too. After that, if you're up to it, you can help, okay?"

No, _not_ okay. Nothing about this was okay at all. But he nodded anyway, dropping down in a numb daze and removing his boots and scarf.

Plum disappeared into a room that was curtained off, and returned a few painfully long minutes later, holding Poppy. Her soaked clothing had been discarded of and in its place, the pink troll now wore a thick white gown with long sleeves.

"Are you all dry?" Plum asked.

When Branch nodded, she gently set Poppy back in his arms. "Hold her but not too tight. And try not to jostle her around. Can you do that for me, Branch?"

He gave her another nod as he held her like she was a fragile figurine. "Yes."

She smiled. "Good. I'm going to get some blankets and heating packs. I'll be right back."

Poppy lay in his arms, perfectly still and silent, save for the weak breath he would desperately wait every few moments for her to take. It would be so easy to pretend she was sleeping.

She'd never been so motionless and quiet. No loud singing or twirling or skipping. No giggling or humming or excited babbling about everything and nothing at all.

It was the first time her silence drove him completely crazy.

He couldn't stand it.

Sitting there in front of the fire, holding an unconscious Poppy to his chest, he was brought back to a day from his childhood. The very first day since his parents had been taken by the Bergens that he'd been invited to a party. It was for another trolling's birthday, and they were serving Bramblemelon cake.

He'd been so excited all morning. He was looking forward to playing party games with everyone and dancing and getting his face painted. And maybe making a new friend or two.

He never got to do any of that. After a few bites of cake, his throat and mouth swelled up and itchy red whelps popped up all over his body. Rosiepuff had rushed him away from the frightened children and concerned parents to seek help.

That day they discovered that Branch had a nasty Bramblemelon allergy. The resident Troll Tree doctor, who happened to be Plum's aunt, had informed Rosiepuff that it could've been fatal and he should never eat the fruit ever again.

He was crushed because it was the most delicious fruit he'd ever eaten. He'd only had it once, but could never eat another bite as long as he lived.

Rosiepuff had stayed up with him as the awful symptoms ran their course, leaving him stranded in misery. She sat beside his bed and hummed a sweet song as she rubbed his back to help him get to sleep. All night, he cried for his parents. He cried for his mother. He needed one of her hugs more than ever. He cried for his father, wanting desperately to hear one of his bedtime stories, and wanted them both to kiss his forehead and tell him how much they loved him one more time. And that as miserable as he felt, tomorrow would be better and everything would be okay.

But just like Bramblemelon, he could never have any of that again.

And if the fall through the ice didn't do it, something would eventually come along to snatch Poppy away too. Because he was dumb enough to open his heart back up and let things like hope and love in again.

 _Stupid, you're so, so stupid._

"Here we go!"

He looked up to see Plum walk over carrying a stack of blankets topped with several heating packs. She wrapped two of them in a smaller blanket and handed it to Branch. "Hold that one to her chest." She wrapped another pack in a sheet and draped it over Poppy's neck. After Plum had covered her up in the rest of the blankets she'd collected, she assisted Branch in moving Poppy so that the pink troll's chest was pressed to his.

"More of your body heat will transfer this way," Plum explained, sitting cross-legged next to him on the throw rug in front of the fire. "We can take turns if you start to get tired."

Branch splayed his palm against Poppy's back, brow creased deeply in unease. "So…that's it? We just sit and wait now?"

Plum shrugged apologetically. "For now, that's really all we can do."

"How do we know if it's working?"

"When we see signs that she's coming to."

When. She said when. But he knew it was an 'if' poorly promenading as a 'when.' She just didn't want him to worry any more than he already was. Because that's what kindhearted caretakers did. They took a situation, even one that could snowball into tragedy in the blink of an eye, and tried to minimize any stress or oncoming dismay.

And he appreciated her for this, he really did. But at that point he couldn't convey it to her, steadily crumbling under guilt's crushing weight.

"This is my fault," he whispered, not really aware at first that he'd said it out loud. Until Plum spoke up.

"What are you talking about?" she asked.

He glanced down to the soft, dark pink hair on Poppy's head. It was beginning to dry and take its natural shape again. "She was coming to meet me. We were going to go skating together." His breath picked back up, throat squeezing shut and vision starting to blur as he stared into the fire. "It's my fault."

"No it's not," Plum spoke clearly and slowly to him. "You pulled her out of the ice and brought her here. You saved her."

His words began to run together in clumsy anguish. "She was there because of me. She'd be home safe and sound in her pod if it weren't for me."

"How do you know that? What if she'd gone skating with someone else? What if she'd gone by herself? It's possible no one would've found her then. It's because of you that she's here and alive."

 _It's because of me that she could still die!_

He was shaking his head back and forth, not willing to acknowledge what she said as truth. Then a new thought crossed his mind, one that made his eyes widen in chilling distress.

He never got to tell her.

He'd spent all his time pulled back by his own hesitation's rope, not allowing himself to fully enjoy getting closer to her. Holding back, holding his tongue. Scared to act, scared to say too much.

And now she was going to slip right through his fingers, before he got to tell her how deeply in love with her he'd fallen.

It all added up. The stars aligning against him. That was how it always worked in his life. Short bursts of immense happiness, followed by this happiness being violently pried away.

He was no stranger to it. But he never imagined it would hurt this much.

There were beads of sweat forming on his forehead and he was only partially aware that he'd started hyperventilating. His lungs felt like someone was filling them with rocks and wouldn't stop.

"Branch," Plum said, voice taking on a different tone. "Listen to me. I need you to take a deep breath for me. In through your nose, out through your mouth."

Her voice so far away and muffled in his ears, as the hammering of his heart drowned everything else out, she repeated that last sentence again and again, slowly, until he complied.

"Good. Now one more. Come on."

She was shepherding him, bringing him back down from his panic attack. He recognized her attempts as they were similar to the things he told himself during ones he suffered in his grey years.

Something he was very thankful for was that she didn't try to remove Poppy from his arms, even as he struggled to breathe normally and stop shaking. Probably because she knew he'd completely lose it if she did that.

Smart gal.

"Now I want you to listen to me. Are you listening?"

When he nodded, she continued.

"No part of this was your fault. You didn't do anything wrong. This didn't happen because of you. This could've happened at any time, to anyone, no matter the reason. Some things are simply out of our control, but you took action promptly when you found out she was in trouble and that was the very best thing you could've done. This was _not_ your fault."

While one part of his mind was soothed by her speech, the other part was still racing, wondering if Poppy was going to survive the night.

"Thank you," was what he finally came back with. It wasn't the most fitting of responses, and sounded very stilted and hollow as he said it. But he was compelled to express gratitude for her tending to his unconscious girlfriend and for her continued efforts to help him stay calm all at the same time. And in his distressed state of mind, that was the best he could do.

She seemed to understand. Smiling, she reached over and set her palm on his shoulder in unspoken reassurance.

[]

Plum stayed up late into the night with him, the two passing Poppy back and forth when they needed to rest their arms. Branch wouldn't have any clue what time it was, if it weren't for their bracelets.

By the fourth Hug Time since midnight, Plum slowly got to her feet.

"I'm going to get some rest and wake in a few so you can get some sleep yourself," she said. "We'll be no help without resting ourselves. Are you okay to stay up by yourself with her?"

His gaze strayed from the fire and he glanced up at her restlessly. "I'll…be fine. Yea. Um, thank you…again."

"Just doing my job," she answered with one of her kindly smiles. She left and returned shortly after with a mug that she set on the coffee table. "If she comes to, have her drink this. She needs warmth inside her body as much as outside of it, and that should help. Can I get you anything before I go?"

What he needed, she couldn't provide, so he shook his head. "No thank you."

She pursed her lips, eyes filled with sympathy, a hand poised on her hip. "Alright. I'll come trade off with you when I get back up. If you need anything just come get me."

"Sure. Good night."

"And to you as well, Branch."

She left, her footfalls fading down the hall, and then it was just Branch, holding Poppy to his chest as he sat in front of the fireplace.

He buried his nose in her hair, arms fencing her within his protective hold.

The longer he sat in silence, the more his mind had time to wander. And eventually, it wandered off into its bleaker corners. The cruel voice that lurked there awoke and started reciting all the terrible things he'd said to her in the past. But one phrase in particular became a near constant echo.

 _You don't know anything Poppy. And I can't wait to see the look on your face when you realize the world isn't all cupcakes and rainbows. 'Cause it isn't. Bad things happen and there's nothing you can do about it._

Bad things happen, and there's nothing you can do about it.

Nothing…

Life was throwing what he preached to her that day right back in his face. But it felt more like a punch to the gut. Because she was the victim and this time, he considered himself the perpetrator.

As realization set in, he swallowed down the urge to break down in a puddle of pathetic sobs. He was able to fight it off with a throaty whimper as he nuzzled the top of her head.

"'M sorry," he croaked to an unresponsive Poppy. "I…I-I know you got annoyed with me the other day for apologizing, but I really am sorry. For all the mean things I've said to you over the years and for doubting you and for being jealous and scared and…all those things I am that a troll isn't supposed to be. I'm sorry for all the times that you were hurt and upset because of something I did or said. I'd take every bit of it back if I could. And if you wake up, I promise I will spend the rest of my life making it up to you, whatever that means. Just…give me that chance." He closed his eyes, hiding his face in her shoulder, heart throbbing to a ragged metronome. " _Please_."

All was quiet and still for a few moments more. And then his ears swiveled to the sound of soft mumbling and he felt her moving beneath his grip.

Eyes flying open, he looked down. "Poppy?"

Her eyes remained almost totally closed, but they just barely cracked open as she slowly met his gaze. "Have t' say pretty please…" she slurred in a drowsy voice. "With s-sprinkles on top."

With a smile of total relief, one as wide as his jaw would allow, he huffed a deep sigh and pulled her so close it was a wonder they didn't melt right into one another.

"Hi Angel," he murmured.

She squinted up at him, nose crinkled. "'M not 'n angel, I'm a troll." She blinked, and by the time her eyes opened back up, a snail could've made a lap around the village. "Silly."

"You're both," he insisted, rubbing his forehead against hers. He stopped so he could look her in the eyes. "But don't you dare do that to me ever again."

She looked altogether confused. "Mm…'kay…wha'd I do?"

"You were at the creek, and you fell through the ice. I pulled you out but you were unconscious by the time I got to you. I brought you here, to Plum's. She's been helping me take care of you." That reminded him; he took the mug from where it had been left on the coffee table and he offered it to her. "Are you thirsty?"

She stared down at the mug, head bobbing heavily. "Yea."

He helped her by holding the mug and she drank the warm milk inside. "Mmmm this 's pretty good. Wanna try?"

He shook his head. "Not a big fan of milk. Besides, this is for you. Gotta get you warmed back up."

She shrugged and drank a little more. Once she had her fill she lightly pushed the mug away and smacked her lips before snuggling up to him with a tiny sigh. His hand found one of hers and he began to stroke the back of it with his thumb.

"What time is it?" she asked.

He glanced down at his bracelet, counting backwards in his head. "Some time past four in the morning."

"And we're at Plum's pod?"

"Mhm."

"…so we didn't get to do any skating."

She sounded so disappointed, and if he weren't floundering in post-distress, he might've laughed. "No. We didn't. Your fall kind of put a stop to those plans. You don't need to be out in the cold at all until you're fully recovered, so practice is on hold until then." Or maybe longer… "You just need to rest and stay warm for now."

"Mnnh…boring," she complained into his chest.

"I know. But I'm sure we can come up with ways to keep you entertained while you rest. I'll bet Plum has some good books to read around here."

"I hate reading."

Branch's eyebrows rose over stunned eyes. "Hate? Wow, I never expected a word like that to come out of your mouth. But if you're going to pick something to hate, don't let it be books. A good story can be very engrossing."

"Gross for sure."

" _Engrossing_ ," he corrected.

"No I said it right."

A smile surfaced on his lips.

"…but yea, I guess I don't _hate_ it," she amended. "I just don't enjoy it as much as I enjoy other stuff."

"You're missing out. I've escaped into some pretty exciting worlds in novels."

"That's just it though. Why read about exciting things when you can go out and _do_ the exciting things instead?"

"Because you end up in dangerous situations…like you did tonight."

"But danger's always out there, Branch. Can't let that stop you from living. Remember what you told me, when we first started practicing? You told me not to be afraid of falling. 'Cause it's gonna happen no matter what. That's like, practically the same thing."

Had he said that?

"Well…I'm the biggest hypocrite in the village then. Maybe the entire world."

"…huh?"

As she sat, straddling his lap, he trailed a finger along the lower curve of her ear. "I told you not to be afraid of falling. But I'm falling right now and I'm terrified."

"What d'you mean?"

He took one of her hands and held it, in that same gentle and secure grip he always reserved for those sweet pink hands. It would've been so much less nerve-wracking to stare at them while he elaborated. Or the wall. Or anything but her face.

She'd kissed him, she'd slow danced with him, she slept beside him, and he was still afraid to let something simple as words leave his mouth.

He'd told her this before. In a song. Granted, that wasn't like talking about it. But he'd sang it. And she sang back. This was different, and yet, it wasn't so different at all. Not really...

They were just words. Noise from vocal cord vibrations hitting the air. Why were they so frightening to make?

A failsafe switch was flipped in his head, one that instantly quieted the demons chanting for him to keep his dumb mouth shut. At least for as long as he had the ounce of courage in him to push through.

His voice was carried by tight breaths that barely prodded each syllable into existence as his scarred little heart proceeded to spill itself onto the floor. "I'm in love with you, Poppy. And every time I see you or think about you, I fall a little harder. I know we've…sort of…visited this before already, and I made it clear that I love you. At least, I hope I did. Because I do. But this is different. And I'm really scared now. Actually more than really scared, and I'm…I've messed everything up already, I know." He gave a laugh absent of any and all humor and shook his head. "I don't want to tell you how many times I've thought about this, planned it all out in my head, if fate worked a miracle and let it happen. I wanted it to be somewhere really romantic, maybe in spring, when it's warm and sunny and when all your favorite flowers are everywhere and the critters are out and the whole village looks like a giant rainbow. But I can't wait for spring, 'cause you could've died tonight, and if you had before I got to tell you…" His speech faltered as he gazed down at Poppy's face. So lovely, even when she was gaping at him in what he could only assume was astonishment. "…part of me would've died too."

Poppy just kept staring, eyes wide and unblinking. "Oh my gosh," she breathed. She stared for a few more moments and then immediately burrowed up against him.

"Just shush, will you? You haven't messed anything up." Picking her head up, she brushed their noses together with a low contented hum. "I'm so in love with you too, Branch."

If his eyes popped any wider they just might sever from their sockets. Wild, how a single string of those little vocal cord vibrations can set flames to the soul.

"Y…you are?"

"Yea," she nodded with ease, like she'd been asked if she wanted to bake brownies tomorrow. "I am."

He tried not to squeeze her too tight as he pitched forward, cupping her face in his hands. "I've waited so long to hear you say that." His voice sounded like it had a squeaker lodged in it. It kind of punctuated the intensity of what he said in the worst way possible, but that's just how life goes sometimes.

"Awwww," she assented, smiling wide as she curled into him again. "I knew a sap was hiding in there all this time. My sappy Branch. I should start calling you Pine."

"Careful, you're going to give Guy and his bad jokes competition for the spotlight."

Her grin was wholly unashamed.

There was a small lull in the conversation. Though it didn't last long, as Branch had a burning question to ask. "Poppy? Have you…ever been in love before?"

"No…but I know this is different. Because I love my dad and my friends, and all the trolls in the village. But not the same way I love you. It's not even how I felt about Creek." Her expression shifted, eyes widening again. "Hey," she whispered.

"What?"

"You've saved me from a creek two times now." She giggled.

He allowed himself a small smirk, sifting his fingers through her wispy bangs. "You really should stay away from those."

She grinned back, cheek resting against his shoulder. "How 'bout you? You ever been in love?"

He shook his head. "No…that's the scariest part of all of this. I have a plan for everything, and I do mean everything."

"Oh I'm well aware," she teased.

"But not… _this_. I mean, I just poured my heart out to you in arguably one of the least romantic places either of us have ever been to."

"And if you start getting down on yourself about that, I will flick both of your ears. Hard enough to leave a mark."

That had him cracking a grin. "Do you have the strength for that right now?"

She reached up, albeit slowly, and poked his nose. "I can muster it up, pal. Don't try me."

He chuckled in earnest for the first time during this whole exhausting ordeal. "Alright, I'll be good."

She must've felt bad for poking him in the nose, for she'd started rubbing small circles across it with her fingertip. But she was going to leave painful marks on his ears, was she?

"You don't have to plan things out all the time," she told him. "I mean, plans are super helpful, and I know you like them, and I get that. But you don't always need them to make things happen. Sometimes the best moments unfold exactly how you hope without any plans."

"Are you referring to _now_? _This_ is how you hoped things would unfold?"

"Sure is."

He shook his head. "Poppy. You were on death's doorstep mere hours ago. Are you _hearing_ me right now?"

"Loud and clear." She shrugged. "So I could have died. But I didn't. And I feel more alive than I ever have right now. I'm alive because you were there when I needed you. Just like in the forest, and just like in the Bergen pot. I'm here because you were there. And you're here now, and you want me, the way I want you. You couldn't make this more perfect if you tried."

He pitched forward again, this time to mash his lips against hers. He was so in love with this girl, and it frightened him to no foreseeable end. But frightened as he was, he tried to keep the uneven breathing and tremble of his lips and the fumbling of hands in her hair to a minimum.

He didn't have much luck in that regard.

"When I said get her warmed up, I didn't mean hot and bothered, Branch."

The two pulled away like they'd been zapped by lightning.

Bewildered, Branch stared at the violet troll as she casually leaned against the doorway to the kitchen, arms folded and one leg crossed over the other. "Rest is best for recovery."

That's right. Dr. Plimsy was here too. Highly esteemed and respected Dr. Plimsy.

Had she been spying for more than the last five seconds? Scratch that, it could hardly be called spying. This was _her_ home.

In answer to a question he never verbally posed, Plum smirked, one eyebrow arched shrewdly. "And I'll have you know, my pod is a very romantic place. But you're entitled to your opinion. Even if it's wrong."

A deep blush stung his cheeks.

Ah…so yes then…fantastic.

[]

Despite Plum's insistence that he go to one of her guest rooms and sleep in an actual bed, Branch stayed by Poppy's side all night. He wasn't going to let little things like walls or space separate them, not when she could still be hanging on by a thread.

He fought it for a while, but had succumbed some time during the settling fog of early morning, and awoke to the smell of what could only be cinnamon. Mixed with lilac. Odd combination, until he became a little more aware of his surroundings.

Surroundings that were very soft and very pink.

One of his arms was deadweight on the rug.

The other was curved snugly around Poppy's middle. Because he hadn't been able to get anywhere near considering sleep until he'd found a means of knowing she hadn't slipped away for good, and that meant feeling the constant rise and fall of her breathing against his own body. Now he remembered.

A glance towards the kitchen clued him in that Plum was flitting around in there.

That explained the food smell.

He wondered if she wanted any help. He did know his way around a stove decently enough.

Slowly, to keep from disturbing Poppy, who was still fast asleep and snoring faintly, he untangled himself and got up. But not before adjusting the blanket around her and dropping a tender kiss to her cheek.

And tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. For good measure.

He ambled into the kitchen just as Plum was setting a pan of enormous cinnamon rolls on the counter. Aha, the nose always knows.

She switched to whipping a whisk in a bowl of icing, and without missing a beat said, "Hey there, Hot Lips. Morning morning!"

He felt like he'd just pulled open the oven door and shoved his head inside. "Ah…" Jaw going slack, he jammed his fingers into the hair at the base of his skull. "Ah…e-erm…mm-morning," he spluttered.

She offered him a teasing smile. "Did you sleep alright? The little that you got?"

"I…think so?" He stepped forward, one hand clasping the other so he could wring them nervously. "Look, about…what you saw…"

"Oh Branch, don't you worry, it was a sweet thing to walk up on. Long as you two don't get carried away, I don't mind."

His face blanched into a much lighter shade of blue as he touched down on the surface of the sun then. "…right…I…th-that's not…we…" He covered his face with one hand. Like that would help conceal his embarrassment. "Can I help you with anything?" he asked in a strained groan.

That got him a bit of sympathetic laughter. "Why don't you set the table for us? Third cabinet on the left. You are staying for breakfast, yes?"

He peeked through the gaps between his fingers. "If that's okay?"

She tipped the bowl and began to spoon the icing out onto the steaming batch of cinnamon rolls. "Stay as long as you like. I assume you're not going to be up for leaving Poppy until she's better. I could tell you were pretty distraught last night."

"I was, yea…" he agreed. Who was he kidding? He was still shaken up. "I, um, I wanted to tell you, I really appreciate everything you did for her. And, you know, for letting me stay." He'd found the plates and had started setting them down.

"Hey, what are doctors for?" She moved on to her cutting board, where she began slicing fruit. "I'd like to keep an eye on her here for today and probably through the night. If she seems well enough, I'll most likely let her leave when she wakes up tomorrow."

"Sounds good," Branch answered, on the hunt for cutlery now.

"So, may I ask, what made you two decide to go out ice skating so late at night?"

"It was the only time we could fit in yesterday and Poppy really wants the routine to go smoothly, so we've been trying to get as much practice in as we can before the first full moon. That's the same night the ice lilies bloom, and if all goes well, she'll gather up enough holiday spirit to—"

"Make the kaleidosnow," Plum finished for him. She filled a dish with all the sliced pieces of fruit and carried it to the table. "So she's gonna carry on her mom's tradition. That's wonderful! I never got to see the kaleidosnow, I've just heard Peppy talk about it. Primrose was really young when she started that tradition. I didn't even know there were ice lilies in our village!"

"Right by the lake," said Branch. "I guess they only grow in the winter."

"Must be more common than I thought. How neat! So, what's your role been in all this?"

"Poppy had no idea how to skate. I happened to be out when she was practicing on her own one day. Watched her crash right into a bush. After pulling her out of the snow, she told me all about the tradition and about how badly she wanted to pull it off. So I've been teaching her ever since then. It was all going really well too, until…" His gaze fell to the floor, ears dropping.

"Mm," Plum uttered with a small nod. "Well, hopefully you two can get back to it after getting past this little setback."

He'd just finished setting out forks when he looked up at her. "…actually, I was thinking about it last night, and I'm wondering if…" He bit his lip. "Maybe we sh—"

His sentence was cut short when he heard a squeaky yawn and feet padding down the hall.

A sleepy Poppy rounded the corner, rubbing at her eyes, the blanket he'd previously shared with her covering her shoulders and dragging across the floor behind her like a long cape. Her eyes were half open and her hair was an absolute mess of frizzy, disheveled locks.

It was the way she'd look to the troll who'd receive the pleasure of having her hand in marriage and waking up beside her. That was the sight they'd happen upon. Every morning.

Add this to the list of things that took Branch's breath away.

"Ah, there she is!" said Plum. "Good morning! Glad to see you up and about! Breakfast is ready. Ya hungry?"

When Poppy nodded, Plum beckoned for her to join them. "Come on, pull up a chair."

Poppy yawned again, stretching and making another squeaky sound, pushing frizzy bangs out of her face and nodding. "'Kay…smells yummy."

She didn't pull up a chair, but instead, shuffled over to Branch and buried her face into his chest.

Well, no sense in being embarrassed around Plum now.

He tamed a few flyaway strands of her hair back into place and wrapped his arms around her. "Morning. Sleep alright?" he asked.

She yawned through a small "yes" and nodded, cheek pressed to his sternum. "Did you guys make breakfast? I feel bad…I could've helped."

"Oh I wouldn't hear of such," Plum said. "You need your rest. Besides, Branch didn't even catch me until I was finishing up."

"She's a quick one," Branch admitted, pulling a chair out for Poppy.

"That I am," she replied, winking. "Now then, what's everyone having to drink?"

Branch volunteered to make himself a cup of coffee, and Plum decided she would have some too. Poppy had chosen from the village doctor's assortment of juices, and after much deliberation, went with Zigzapple.

When they'd all made their plates, they started eating. Poppy tucked into a cinnamon roll that was drowning in icing. As she ate, she reached down to take hold of Branch's hand. Without even looking at him, she linked their fingers together, pulled his hand onto her lap, and kept right on eating.

"So," said Plum. "Branch tells me the reason you two were going to go skating last night was because you're planning to perform your mom's routine."

Poppy picked up a piece of fruit and nibbled as she nodded. "Yea, Branch has been coaching me. We've been working really hard to pull it all together."

"Did someone keep record of the moves? Or are you putting your own spin on it?"

"A little of both," Poppy answered. "Dad's told me about it before, and there's a few parts of the routine he remembers. Everything else, we're kind of improvising. I still have to come up with music I want to skate to. Suki offered to put something together for me. I'm stoked to find out what she comes up with. Oh! And Satin and Chenille are making a dress for me to wear when I skate the routine."

Plum nodded, sipping from her mug. "Sounds like it's all coming together. I can't wait to see it. When are you putting this big performance on for us?"

"The night of the Winter Welcoming Party. I want everyone to meet at the lake and then we'll all go together to the big hollow tree. I'm really hoping we'll gather up enough spirit to make the kaleidosnow. I've never seen it, but dad tells me it's one of the most unforgettable wonders of the whole season."

The violet troll smiled serenely. "I was just telling Branch, I've never seen it either. But I'm excited for the chance! And I know Peppy's going to be as proud as ever seeing you out there, honoring your mother by carrying on what she started."

Poppy beamed, taking a swig of her juice. "I hope so." She leaned against Branch, who had been quietly listening to the two chatting as he ate. "None of it would be possible if it weren't for this guy here. He's pretty great. Taught me everything I know about being on the ice."

 _Yea, including how to nearly wind up dead from being on it._

"I'm alright," he mumbled, staring down at the tablecloth.

"No, you're great. Really great," Poppy argued. "Best skating coach ever."

"Poppy—" he groaned.

"What? I can't praise my boyfriend over a bowl of fruit and half a cinnamon roll?"

"I just don't really think I dese—"

"Um no. Don't you even," she said, jamming her finger to his lips. "Finish that sentence and you'll regret it, Mister. You've been nothing but amazing and that's that. So stuff it." She leaned over and gave him a peck on the nose.

Branch looked to Plum, pointing at the pink troll. "See what I deal with?"

"So unfortunate," Plum joked with a shake of her head.

Poppy's rebuttal was another kiss to his nose, and then three more that trailed over the cheek closest to her, as he squirmed away all the while.

"Why are you trying to get away?" Her lip poked out in a pout. "I thought you loved me."

"I do! I'm just…I'm trying to eat. And you should too, you need to build your strength back up."

"I'm doing my best, honest, but I keep getting distracted by your handsome face." She leaned over again, lips making a soft smacking sound against his cheek as she resumed her torturous breakfast behavior.

"Poppyyyy…"

Corralling bits of fruit onto her spoon, Plum grinned and chuckled at them. "Geez you two are cute."

[]

To keep her occupied through a day without partying and other fun-filled frolics, Branch had left after lunch to fetch Poppy's scrapbook materials, making himself a list so he wouldn't forget anything. Because there was _a lot_ to keep track of.

He also retrieved her bag where it had been left behind at the creek. Luckily her skates hadn't taken any damage.

While he was out, he also checked on Ripple, who had chosen to lounge in a tree by his bunker entrance. But upon seeing his new adopted owner, he flew down and nearly pounced on the troll, sniffing for his favored treat and hoping Branch had some to offer.

He did.

On his way back, Branch bumped into the Snack Pack. He told them what had happened and in a burst of concern for their close friend, they all jumped up and followed him to Plum's pod.

Plum led them to the room Poppy was staying in, letting them all know she would stay in bed during their visit. Doctor's orders.

Branch stood at the side of her bed, making sure those orders were followed.

Smidge had shoved her way to the front of the group and barreled over. "Oh my god oh my god Poppy how are you?!"

"I'm a-okay, thanks!" Poppy answered with a sweet smile. "Dr. Plimsy and Branch have been taking really good care of me."

"They better be," the small troll said, and Branch could feel her unyielding gaze as she stared him down.

"Oh Poppy!" the twins cried in unison, taking their turn to rush over and hug her one at a time.

"We came with Branch as soon as we heard what happened!" said Chenille.

Satin stroked Poppy's hair. "We're so glad you're alright!"

"Are you cold?" Chenille asked, not giving her sister a chance to finish before talking over her. "Do you need another blanket?"

The pink troll shook her head. "No, I think I have enough to last me through the winter," she laughed, looking around at all the throws and quilts stacked around the room, and the ones she was already covered up in.

Satin rubbed the back of Poppy's hand. "We've started working on your dress."

"Really?!"

"Yea!" she answered. "The base layer of the skirt is finished, we just got started on the second layer this morning. We haven't been able to come to an agreement on what kind of jewels we want to use for the neckline and cuffs yet, but it looks great so far!"

Chenille pursed her lips. "We have a lot of work to do on it before it's ready to be worn. But it's getting there." She nodded her head. "Definitely getting there."

"I can't thank you enough for agreeing to make it for me. I know it's gonna be positively stunning. Your dresses always are. And I know you've been busy, what with making seasonal fashion for, well, everyone."

Satin waved a hand dismissively. "No need to worry about that. Finishing your dress is at the top of our to-do list." She smiled and leaned against her sister, who in turn, leaned back, their expressions identically sweet and concerned as the taffy pink twin added, "We promise to make it look perfect, so long as you promise to get all better so you can dazzle everyone in it!"

"Hair swear!" Poppy exclaimed, extended her hair out to them before Branch sprinted over, holding his hands out and shouting for them to stop. The three girls looked at him in perplexity.

"Just…just be careful," he urged them. "She's still not at peak physical condition, and that includes her hair."

Poppy stuck her tongue out at him. "Rude."

Both twins nodded to each other.

"Okay, a mini hair swear then," Satin decided, and Chenille agreed.

Poppy slowly wrapped her hair around the conjoined arch of theirs to solidify the swear, all three of them giggling. The twins hugged their beloved queen and best friend, stepping back as Suki walked over.

"Hey Pops," she said, giving her a gentle hug. "How ya doin'?"

"Awesome! I take one little fall in subzero water and all my friends come see me. I'm really lucky to have you guys in my life."

Suki hummed with a soft smile, sitting beside her. "Ya must've been pretty scared…" She leaned against the headboard and let one of her legs idly swing over the side of the bed. "Glad Branch was there."

"Me too," Poppy sighed, passing a grateful smile his way.

He suddenly felt all eyes on him and cleared his throat audibly.

As Suki dove into telling Poppy about working the kinks out of a rather whimsical sounding track she was making for her friend to skate to, Smidge stalked over to Branch, her stare intense as she looked him up and down. Eyes narrowed and round nose twitching, she stuck her hand out.

"Uh…" He eyed the small outstretched yellow hand a moment and then held his out as well.

She shook it, her grip just as steely as her gaze. Then she yanked him down to her level without warning and hugged him. "You earned many respect points with me today."

He could only wheeze in response, unable to understand how someone so itty-bitty could be so strong.

She released him with a simple pat to the shoulder and then returned to Poppy's side.

Poppy looked down at Smidge. "Think you can handle being queen for one more day while I recover? Dr. Plimsy wants me to stay here today, just to make sure I'm well enough to go back home tomorrow."

Smidge climbed up to sit next to her on the side opposite Suki and raised a fist to her heart. "I would be honored, Poppy."

Fuzzbert took his turn then, standing at Poppy's side and sharing the highlights of his afternoon. When he finished, Poppy was nodding vigorously. "I knooow, everyone works so hard on their gingerbread pods, it's so hard to pick a winner! I was totally torn when it was my year to judge. I think in the end I was swayed by gumdrop placement. But regardless, I'm sure you were very fair in your final decision. I have the utmost faith in you, Fuzz."

Biggie walked up next. "Is there anything we can bring you? Snacks or something to drink? Maybe a game or two to help pass the time?"

"Oh no, thank you, but you don't need to do that. I've got my scrapbook stuff here, so I'll keep myself plenty busy with that." She looked over to Branch. "You brought it, right?"

He lifted the bag and patted the side of it. "Right here," he confirmed.

"Man, Branch, you're really on your game," said Cooper as he strolled up.

Poppy grinned. "Hey Cooper! How's it goin'?"

"Oh it's been a _day_ , Poppy, lemme tell you." He launched off into a lengthy recap of his eventful start to the day, from getting his tongue stuck on an icicle, to competing in a xylophone battle, to going sledding with the rest of the Pack.

"And _then_ we almost hit a tree! But we swerved to the side, real smooth like. We thought for sure we had it in the bag, but then Smidge comes outta nowhere and crosses the finish line right before the last slope, all lickety-split! And we were just like 'Whaaaat!' I'm telling you it was cuh-raaazy! Just take my word for it."

Smidge's expression was every bit as smug as it was unsettlingly sinister. "I warned you about turning it into a race. Don't say I didn't."

"Wow," Poppy said, sunny expression fading a little. "Can't believe I missed out on all the fun."

"We're planning to go again next week!" said Biggie.

Suki nodded excitedly. "You should totally come. You too, Branch!"

"Uhh, yea…I dunno..." answered Branch. "I haven't gone sledding since…ever. I'd probably end up dislocating something or breaking a bone. But I can come watch…" He trailed off as he watched Guy Diamond trudge over to Poppy and flop himself down onto her lap.

Poppy looked down at the glittery troll taking up residence on her lap. "My Guy! What's up?"

He groaned, face hidden. "I know you're the one in need of support right now, but…might I vent for just a bit?"

"I'm all ears. What's the matter? Tell me."

He groaned even more. "I don't have a date for the Winter Welcoming Party yet! Biggest celebration of the season and I still have no one to go with! And if I have no one to go with, then I'll be forced to…to go… _stag_!" He shuddered. "I'll be left dateless!"

Poppy gave one of her 'come on now' looks. "Guy you are not gonna be dateless. Not if you don't want to be. I'm sure someone will ask you or you'll find it in you to ask someone, if you feel so inclined."

"That's just it, Poppy!" he wailed. "I've had so many trolls ask me, and now I can't make up my mii-i-i-ii-nnn-dd!" He grabbed one of her extra pillows and smacked his face against it. "It's a disaster in the making." Though muffled, the pained moan in his voice was heard by all.

"It is not," said Poppy, smirking warmly down at him and rubbing his hair. "What if you go without a date? Then you can just mingle and dance with whoever you want. Problem solved!"

"Go without a date to a formal party?" He gawked up at her and spat a weak sound of disgust. "It's like you don't even know me," he whispered, going back to hiding his face in the pillow that he'd claimed ownership of.

She snorted. "Sorry…I really wish I could help you out, but I think this is one of those things you'll have to figure out on your own. Just trust your heart."

"My heart is pulling me in more directions than I can follow." He gasped and looked up at her. "Wait I've got it! Yooo-oo-o-u and m-e-ee-eeee! We can go together! Then no one can be upset with me for turning them down. Because they would all know that taking you would be an opportunity I simply couldn't pass up! Because you're the queen, they'd understand!"

"Oooh, sorry Guy…I actually already have a date."

"What?!" everyone said in unison.

"Well, okay, he technically hasn't asked me, but even if he doesn't, we're still going together."

As several voices shouted demands of who this mystery date was, Branch silently slipped over to adjust the pillows behind Poppy's head.

Poppy looked up at him, biting her lip. "Should we tell them?"

He shrugged indifferently, offering a light smile. "We were going to sooner or later, weren't we?"

The group grew quiet, watching the two of them converse.

Poppy nodded, sitting up a little straighter. "Since you're all here, I guess we might as well fill you in." She took hold of one of his hands, squeezing it tight. "Branch and I are together now. Like, the boyfriend and girlfriend kind of together."

The announcement was met with silence, followed very shortly after by an explosion of excited squeals and congratulatory cheering.

"Finally!" the twins cried.

"'Bout time," said Suki, crossing her arms.

Cooper nodded his approval. "Right _on_."

Fuzzbert grunted excitedly, whipping his hair around.

Smidge didn't really say anything, but from the look on her face, it was pretty evident that she was pleased with the turn of events too.

Biggie hugged Mr. Dinkles, bouncing up and down on the balls of his feet. "We've been wondering when you two were going to make it official!"

Guy's reaction came in the form of overjoyed autotuned vocalizations. He slapped both hands to either side of his face with a happy screech. "This is just the sort of uplifting I so desperately needed today!"

"This doesn't mean I still can't help you find a date though!"

"Poppy, please! How could I possibly think about finding a plus one slash dance partner now, with this superb kind of news thrust in my face?!" He slid atop the covers on his stomach, beaming and kicking his legs elatedly. "Two hearts united, at long last."

Poppy grinned at the glitter troll. "I'm happy you're happy for us, but I still want to help you. I'm down to play matchmaker anytime you need it. Branch can help too! He's got quite the way with words, ya know."

"Doesn't sound like winning anyone over is the problem here," Branch reminded, arms folded over his chest. "Sounds to me like he was too good at that part."

The others all began to laugh.

"It's truu-u-uuu-uue!" Guy admitted, sliding off the bed. "But if I need help reviewing my options, you'll be the first I consult. Count on it."

Biggie had yet to stop bouncing. "Gaaah Hug Time or not, I'm just so happy, I simply have to hug someone!"

"Group hug!" Smidge bellowed. "Everyone bring it in!"

They all crowded around Poppy and Branch. Appointing them center of the hug, everyone else circled around the pair, latching on to the troll nearest them. Branch got sandwiched between Suki and Biggie, which was a win for him, as they gave the calmest hugs. He liked calm. And Biggie was an especially soft troll who never hugged anyone too tightly.

Afterward, the group of friends all sat and talked. And they talked, and talked some more. Branch spent a majority of the time staying quiet and listening to everyone else around him. As he listened, he would give Poppy's hand an occasional squeeze or let his fingers slide over hers. Or reach up to push a few stray bangs out of her face. The smallest of gestures, the most innocent forms of physical affection, but the clearest way to show her that through the loud and the crazy, he wanted to be right there with her.

[]

By early evening, everyone had gone back home, urged by Plum, as Poppy still needed her rest. She spent the remainder of the day scrapbooking before and after dinner.

Branch and Plum had another activity in mind for winding down later in the evening.

The two sat across from each other on the rug, a chess board placed between them.

When Poppy had called it quits on scrapbooking for the night, she walked out into the living room to find the two engaged in their intense battle of wits.

After pondering a few moments, Plum moved one of her rooks, only for Branch to take it and one of her pawns out with an unexpected move on his part.

"Ahh, the skewer. Ingenious," she complimented. "Too bad it's left your knight pinned."

"Temporary setback," Branch answered, eyes roaming over the board as he deduced what his next move would be. "He'll be back in the fray before long."

His gaze instantly left the board as Poppy sat down next to him.

"Hey there!" said Plum. "Caught us right in the middle of this round. But if we wrap it up soon, you can take on the winner. You up for the challenge?"

Poppy's lips formed a tight line as she looked over all the different pieces. "I don't know how to play..."

"I can teach you," offered Branch.

Poppy shrugged. "Okay, sure!"

One by one, Branch showed her each piece and explained what their role in the game was.

Poppy was particularly intrigued by the queen piece. She picked it up and gave it a closer look. "So, the queen can go wherever she wants?"

"Yes. And she's the only one who can."

She put the piece down and pointed to the king piece. "But the king only moves one square at a time?"

"Right."

Poppy hugged her knees to her chest, head tilted. "Must be because he's thinking so hard about where he wants to go."

Branch watched Plum move one of her pawns, brows furrowed. "I…guess so. Think it has more to do with the fact that the king has to be careful, because depending on which piece is nearby, his placement can put him in or out of check."

"What's that mean?"

"In check means he's in the danger zone. Out of check means he's safe again. And if he isn't moved out of the danger zone, then the game's over."

"…so the way to win is to kill the king?"

"Not exactly; he's never actually taken out, the game just ends when he has no way to escape the enemy. So all the other pieces on his side have to be moved in such a way to keep that from happening."

"That must be why the queen gets to move anywhere then," Poppy murmured thoughtfully. "Because she wants to do anything she can to protect him."

"Interesting analysis, Poppy," Plum said. "You could look at it that way. In some instances, the queen will even go so far as to act as a sacrifice." She made a move with one of her pieces and removed Branch's queen from the board. "Like that."

"Ugh, and by a pawn too," he muttered. He glanced back over at Poppy, who looked very sad. "It's okay though, the king's still here. I'm still in the game."

She didn't answer; she just stared down at the board with heartbroken eyes. She picked up the queen piece and cradled it in her palm. "That's not right. No one should have to do any sacrificing." She took the king piece and placed it in her palm next to the queen, staring down at both. "The king and queen should just be able to live happily together."

Plum and Branch exchanged a look before Branch hesitantly answered, "That's…not how chess works, though."

"…I don't want to play then," Poppy said, handing him the king piece back and standing up. "Do you have cards?"

"Erm, I think so, let me check." Plum answered. She left her spot to search the shelves, retrieving the deck and handing it to her with a smile. "And no, that wasn't a pun."

"Thank you," said Poppy, hugging the deck of cards to her chest and walking over to the coffee table. She set the cards down and started sorting them.

As Branch and Plum wrapped up their chess match, his eyes would wander over to Poppy, watching her arrange and rearrange the cards with a troubled frown.

It had been a long and arduous battle, but upon the conclusion of endgame, Plum emerged victorious.

Branch humbly accepted defeat, a little more concerned with the pink troll stacking cards on the coffee table.

"I'm heading to bed," Plum told them, cracking her back. "You should soon too."

Branch nodded. "We will." He held a hand out. "Good game."

"Not good, _terrific_!" she replied, shaking hands with him. "I haven't played against someone so skilled in ages. I demand another match soon."

"I might can work that into my schedule."

With a grin, she bid them both good night and disappeared down the hall.

Once she had gone, Branch made his way over to Poppy, kneeling down beside her. "Hey," he said softly. "You okay?"

"Huh? Oh yea, I'm fine." She didn't look him in the eye, gathering the cards up and shuffling them.

Inching closer, Branch placed a hand on her back and began to gently rub it. "It's just a game, Poppy. No need to be upset. They're not alive, just pieces of wood on a board."

"I know…" One card had been flung during the shuffle. She picked it up and slid it back into the deck. "But as long as I'm queen, no one's sacrificing themselves for anyone. Especially not my king."

It then became clear to Branch that they weren't talking about chess anymore.

"We're all staying together. And that's the way it's gonna be," she told him, and with that, set the cards down and gave him a firm poke on the nose.

He snorted, lightly swatting her hand away. "You poke my nose a lot. You know that?"

"It's very cute and poke-able."

"It is not," he argued in total disagreement.

"Is too!"

"Oh yea? Well, I wonder how poke-able yours is."

Only one way to find out.

He gently prodded at her nose and she squealed. He prodded her cheeks and she burst into laughter. Then his fingers dared to dance down her arms.

"No!" she shrieked. " _Don't_. I'm ticklish."

"Ooh," he sucked his teeth. "Shouldn't have told me that." He didn't give her time to react, swiftly hooking an arm around her and lightly poking at the skin under her arms or tickling the spot under her chin, or the base of her ears.

"STOP!" she squawked through her laughter.

He did before long, not wanting to push her past her limit during recovery. As she was reduced to the gasping giggles, she fell into his lap, chest heaving. And Branch found himself captivated yet again by her.

"God, you've got an adorable laugh."

She tried to stop the noises, as involuntary as they were, by covering her mouth. "Really? I think it sounds…a little obnoxious sometimes."

"Not obnoxious. Loud maybe, but certainly not obnoxious, by any means." He traced the edges of her nose. "I love the way it sounds."

She hummed in answer, beaming as she gazed up at him. "I love the sound of yours too. It's one of my favorite sounds, actually. Just wish I got to hear it more often."

"You would, if you said funnier things more often."

She scoffed with a little too much passion and shoved him. "And I was gonna go easy on you in our card game! Not anymore!" She hopped up and took seat in front of the deck. "Get ready to be beaten by a girl twice in one night."

"Ohhhh you really think you have the skill to take me on?" he teased as he sat facing her.

"Guess we'll see won't we?" she said, shuffling the cards again with a narrow-eyed smile.

"Guess we will."

Rummy was the game of choice. They played two and a half rounds. During the third round, Poppy was having quite a bit of trouble keeping her eyes open and holding her head up. When she put down three cards of different suits and laid her chin on the table, Branch smiled. "I think it's time for bed."

"But I was winning," she protested after a rather long yawn.

"Why don't we leave them here and pick this back up after you get some sleep?"

She yawned again, nodding. "Okay. You're not getting away that easy."

He couldn't help but to chuckle as he helped her up.

"Wait!" she suddenly said.

He froze. "What?"

She walked over to the where the chess board had been left and arranged all the pieces in a big circle, instead of the way they were supposed to be set up. She saved the king and queens for last, so that they closed the two remaining gaps in the circle. But she wasn't satisfied until she'd pushed each king and queen close to one another. "There," she said with a sleepy yet bright smile. "Much better."

[]

Branch helped Poppy to bed, fixed her some warm milk and set it on the nightstand by the bed. Then he kissed her good night, and returned to the living room, to make a comfortable place for himself on the couch.

He'd barely slipped into the shallow waters of sleep when he heard Poppy calling out for him.

"Braaaaanch!"

Abruptly, he wrestled his way out of his cocoon of blankets and off the sofa. Stumbling down the hall in disoriented alarm, he pushed the door open.

"What?! What's wrong?"

Poppy was lying in the middle of the small bed, gripping the sheets. She gave him the biggest sad-eyed pout, tugging at the bedspread. "I can't sleep," she mumbled.

His shoulders fell. "Oh." Suddenly much calmer, he approached the side of her bed. "Are you in pain or just restless or…?"

She shook her head. "'M cold," she explained.

"Oh," he said again. "Well that's an easy fix. Hang on." He gathered up the extra blankets Plum had left for her. "Here." One by one, he draped each blanket over her body. "Better?"

She wormed about under the blankets, finally shaking her head, frowning even more.

"Erm…okay…" He ran a hand through the hair at the base of his head as he contemplated this problem. "I can take you back to the living room. Get another fire going. I'm sure Plum would be fine with—"

"No, I want you to sleep with me."

His whole body went rigid.

Her eyes widened for a split second; she must've caught on to her wording. "I mean next to me." She patted the space beside her on the bed. "I want you to sleep _next_ to me. Here."

"Oh."

 _Stop that!_

Throat drying up, he opened his mouth and closed it again when nothing came out. "I…" he pressed his fingers together. "Poppy, I don't think that's a good idea."

"You've slept beside me before."

Sure he had. In a tent, on a rug. But in an actual bed? They'd played a few risky games, but that would undoubtedly be the riskiest one yet.

"This is…different though…I just…don't think I should…"

The way she looked at him, eyes cast down and head lowered, made him feel like she'd taken a rusty knife and stabbed him right in the heart, and then twisted it around a few times in there. "Okay, never mind then," she mumbled, turning over so that her back was to him. "Good night, Branch."

With a tightly clenched jaw and an internal groan of deep confliction, he stomped over and flung the covers back, sliding under them and encircling his arms around her from behind, nose pressed to her neck.

"You're never allowed to look at me like that again. And I mean never."

She turned back to face him, wiggling herself tighter into his hold. "Don't do that to me, don't look at me that way." She huffed an exaggerated sigh, happily settling against his chest. "So bossy."

He scoffed, nostrils flaring. "You're one to talk."

"Mmm," she laughed, lifting one hand to gently brush her knuckle against his cheek, teeth gliding over her lip. "I love you so much."

There went his heart, turned to pure mush by her again. "I love you too, Angel."

Poppy looked up at him quizzically. "How'd you come up with that nickname?"

"Do you not like it? I'll stop calling you that if—"

"No, don't. I like it. I'm just wondering where it came from. Does it have to do with that song I caught you singing when I broke into your bunker that one time? Something about a morning angel?"

"Not really, no," he said, smirking as he recalled that morning well.

"So why 'Angel' then?"

He stared back, taking the time he needed to gather his thoughts on the matter. "Because, in stories I've read about them, angels descend from above, take your hand, meet you when you're at your lowest place in life, and pull you out of the darkness." He shrugged. "And that's what you did when I was in the dark."

With a touched smile, she hugged him. "I should really come up with a better nickname for you than Pine then, 'cause that's pretty beautiful." Another yawn. "I'll start thinking of a better one, I promise."

"Worry about that tomorrow. Right now you need to get to sleep. Think you can now?"

She tapped her chin. "Lemme just go over my checklist. Blankets, check. Fluffy nightgown, courtesy of Dr. Plimsy, check. Pillows, check. Even more blankets, check. Glass of milk, check. Extra extra blankets, check. Annnnd super warm boyfriend." She hugged him and smelled the shirt he'd put on after showering. "Check." She nodded. "Yea I think I'm good now."

"You're sneaky," he said.

"You're comfy," she answered back. Hands reaching, she brought his face down so she could press a kiss to his forehead, and then one to the bridge of his nose, and then his nose itself. She stopped when she got to his lips.

"What…what are you doing?" Branch asked, suddenly very impatient.

"Waiting."

"For what?"

"For you to meet me halfway."

He gave a halfhearted snort and leaned in the rest of the way, capturing her lips, wondering if that surging flutter would grab hold of his heart every time they shared a kiss.

She pulled away, and good thing too, because if she didn't, he probably wouldn't have been able to stop. He had to taper himself off by trailing smaller kisses across her jawline, keeping her cuddled close.

"Mmmm I hope Plum lets me go home tomorrow. If she does, we're gonna get right back to skating practice!"

"T…tomorrow?" he stammered. "You really wanna go back out on the ice so soon?"

"Well yea! Gotta make up for lost time. The full moon's gonna pop up before you know it, and we've gotta put this routine together before then."

"…right."

She spoke through yawns as she started to nod off. "We have to work on…my butterfly spin…and the toe loop…it'sss'still a little wonky…and gotta match it to…to Suki's music, that she made me…and the dress…it's gonna be…really fun…we're gonna have the best time…"

As Poppy's breath evened out, signaling she had fallen asleep, worry swarmed Branch's mind like a colony of hornets. Because while she might've been excited, he was anything but. In truth, he wasn't sure he was ready to take her back out on the ice now, or ever.

And he definitely wouldn't be ready for the awful nightmares that plagued his mind in the following hours. But like a twisted game of hide-and-seek, they were coming.

Ready or not.

* * *

 _I know chess metaphors have been used many many times in many stories, but I feel enough of my own interpretation was put in that it fits nicely._

 _Next chapter is the climax, I guess you could call it. With the way I've been pacing it, I figured I could complete the remaining two or three chapters and get this all finished before Christmas. Which was, ya know, last year's goal._

 _Thank you again for all the kind reviews, guests and users both. It truly means the world to me._


	8. Chapter 8 Cold Shoulder

Chapter 8 Cold Shoulder

* * *

It was the middle of the night, a night like he'd never known before. No moon, no stars. Just a blank sky of nothingness. And without either moon or stars to shed light, the world below was already proving treacherous to navigate.

The wind whipped and moaned, an unnerving sound that called out every so often, met only by ominous quiet each time.

In this quiet, Branch ran. He didn't know where he was trying to go, or where he was coming from. But the farther he ran, the more things began to take shape. Trees and boulders, and menacing figures he could scarcely see as he bolted from one path to the next.

Then he stopped, looking all around. Everything in his field of view was completely unfamiliar to him.

He was lost.

"Momma! Daddy! Where are you?" he shouted, a whimper escaping as he waited for an answer.

The answer he got wasn't the one he was hoping for.

In the distance, he heard his parents scream. And then, he was on the move, running as fast as his legs would carry him. His run was impeded by a mass of tangled underbrush. He tried to push his way through. But each time he grappled past the spiny shrubs and vines and tall blades of grass in his way, they would grow thicker around him.

Somehow, through this difficult struggle, he found his way to the other side.

He watched, held in place by fear's grip as a giant clawed hand scooped down and grabbed his mother and father. Bits of their hair was all he could see as the hand closed shut around their bodies and lifted them higher and higher.

"No!" he cried out. "No, don't take them!"

Another hand reached down, gnarled claws unsheathed as it reached for Branch this time. He cowered on the ground, preparing for the inevitable.

"Branch!"

His head whipped around as Rosiepuff appeared, running up to him. "Branch, watch out!"

Her expression panicked, something plucked straight from memory, she shoved him out of the way. He slid backwards in surprise, tumbling into the dirt. He couldn't get up; his arms and legs refused to work. He was stuck in a sticky spider web that wasn't really there.

He could only lie on the ground and watch as his grandma was grabbed up from the spot he'd previously been cowering in. The monstrous hand squeezed her so tight that she cried out in pain, her cries bringing about malicious laughter from above.

"Grandmaaaaa!"

The hands vanished, and he was alone again. Only now could he stand up, when it was too late to put up a fight. He backed away and turned, not knowing what to do or where to go.

An eerie guttural voice drifted through the dark and began to dangle in the open air just above him, making him feel even smaller than before.

"You're to blame," it said in a resonating whisper. "You're to blame…you alone."

His breath came in scared gasps and he shut his eyes tight, hands covering his ears. "Stop," he begged. The voice continued its mantra, getting louder each time, and soon the laughter returned to play its part in the mocking refrain.

"You're to blame, Branch. You're to blame."

"STOP!" he yelled out in a watery voice. He couldn't take it anymore, and he started to run. Where to? He didn't know, but he had to get away.

He ran through the darkness, never having felt so lost.

That was when a light began to gleam, breaking through the darkness. He chased after it, not wanting to lose it as he knew it could be his only way out.

The closer he got, the brighter the light grew. As he reached the point where it was its brightest, he stopped to stare. It was so beautiful.

Through the light, Poppy reached out. "Come on Branch!" she called. "Let's go!"

He wanted to tell her he'd follow her anywhere, but he didn't have the chance before she pulled him in with one of her melodic giggles.

When Branch opened his eyes, he was back at the lake, and the world wasn't quite as big and intimidating as it was before the light had found him.

Poppy was just ahead, humming a happy song and twirling to and fro on her skates, arms outstretched as she executed a graceful jump. When her blades met the ice again, she looked back, noticing him. "Branch!" she called again, pulling herself into another graceful twirl. "Come skate with me!"

He stepped forward, nearly slipping as he quickly became aware of the fact that he wasn't wearing skates. He slid forward anyways, wanting to be where she was. He'd do anything to be with her.

He was moving so slowly, but couldn't make his legs work any faster, try as he might.

Almost there. She was so close now, maybe a few inches away at most, her fond little smile and outstretched hand encouraging him forward step by sluggish step.

Their hands touched, and the instant they did, Poppy cried out and pulled back. She looked down at her fingers, gasping aloud in fright as they gradually became incased in ice. The ice crept up her limbs and enveloped her entire body, covering her legs, and finally closing in around her face.

"No! Poppy!"

She couldn't hear him. She was frozen solid.

Before his eyes, her ice tomb started crumbling. And then she crumbled right along with it, breaking into hundreds of icy fragments that formed a pile at his feet. A wind whipped by, picking up the pieces of ice and carrying them up into the sky.

"No!" he howled in despair. "Come back! Please!"

She didn't, but the voice from before did. Closing in on him from every direction.

"You're to blame…you're to blame."

"NO!"

The world was shrouded in darkness, like before, but now the darkness was somehow even more pronounced. The trees, the snowy hills, and the lake all vanished around him. Now it was just Branch, and the voice. It was a mere whisper, but its haunting words were so loud and resounding as they struck his ears that he couldn't even hear his own screams of pure agony ripping from his throat.

"You're to blame…you alone…"

[]

He sat straight up in bed, taking in gulps of precious air as he clutched at sheets and pillows, whatever was in reach. His eyes began to adjust, recognizing the shapes of the furniture in Plum's guest room. All he could do at first was stare at the wall ahead, panting as he drew in breath after shaky breath.

He looked to his side. Poppy was sleeping soundly under the covers, head nestled on her pillow, lips parted as she took much quieter breaths, but otherwise just lay there peacefully, like the resting angel she was.

She was here, all in one piece. She was okay.

Slinking off the bed, he retreated to the bathroom. He turned on the faucet and splashed cold water onto his face.

It helped a little.

When he was calm enough, he dried his face and tiptoed back into the bedroom.

He admired Poppy's sleeping form on the bed. He wanted to crawl back in beside her and pull her into his arms and kiss her for all either of them were worth and hold her until the sun came up.

But with the dreaded nightmare so fresh in his memory, he was too afraid to even lay a finger on her. Ears lowering, he heaved a sigh as he backed away and crept down the hall.

He returned to the sofa, the wool blanket still crumpled at one end where he'd left it. He cast it out and tried to get comfortable. Closing his eyes, however, wasn't an option. If he closed his eyes, he knew all he'd see was everyone he loved getting taken away again. And that despicable laughter wouldn't be far behind.

Plum had many a book to read, as he'd expected. But he wasn't in the mood to read. His mind needed a more predictable task. Something more…comforting.

That's when he remembered his journal. It was still stored in the bag he'd filled with all of Poppy's scrapbook materials.

Tiptoeing his way back into the room, he reached into the bag that was stashed by the nightstand. He pulled out his journal, gripping it in both hands. But his gaze was drawn to the bag's contents. One corner of Poppy's scrapbook was sticking out.

He pondered the idea of trying to make a page of his own. Poppy had plenty of supplies to spare. And she'd told him it was fun. Probably not his flavor of fun, but perhaps it could be enough of a distraction from all the things that had left his mind so troubled.

A few minutes later, he was sitting at the coffee table, scribbling an outline of a troll's face onto the paper he'd picked out to use. He marked a place for the eyes and nose, and the piece of yarn that would serve as the mouth. He had Poppy's book opened to its most recent page and studied it for reference. But the more he drew, cut, and experimented with the supplies he unearthed from the bag, the less he referenced and the more focused he became on the crafting itself.

He was so in the zone that he just barely heard Plum approaching from the hall.

"Scrapbooking, Branch?"

"Uh! I…" He slapped a hand over the paper to hide his little felt friend.

"Oh it's nothing to be ashamed of. I'm just surprised to see you up at this hour, that's all." She walked closer, standing at his side. "Having trouble sleeping?"

 _Nah, just the first night spent in a real bed with Poppy and I wake up in a cold sweat from a nightmare about all my deepest fears and regrets. I chalk that up to a victory, wouldn't you?_

It was almost comical, considering how he'd been scared of having a totally different kind of dream lying next to her. _Oh look, I'm the fool again_ , he thought with a frown, his hand sliding off the paper an inch at a time. "Kind of…"

Even though he'd given her a rather vague answer, Plum was a perceptive troll. She eased herself down to sit. "You're worried about her." It wasn't a question.

To further confirm what she already knew, Branch nodded.

"You know, I can't predict the future, that's not one of my gifts. But based on what I've seen while she's been here, I think she's gonna be just fine."

He started to tidy up his 'creative' space; he'd made quite a mess of Plum's coffee table. "I hope so."

She drummed her fingers on her thigh, a smile pulling at her lips. "You know what helps me when I can't sleep?"

"Hm?"

She stood back up. "Come on. I'll show ya."

"Are you gonna give me medicine?"

"So it's _you_ who can predict the future. I'll remember that next time I desire to take a peek into tomorrow's promises."

"Ha- _ha_ ," he answered with a tired smirk.

Grinning back, she held the door open for him to enter the room first.

Plants of every kind bordered the walls in pots or hung from the ceiling. The rest claimed space on wooden stands or decorated the nook at the far wall.

Special fixtures were positioned so that light was cast on them, certain beams giving off different colors. A table was situated near the middle. On it, a large book sat already opened, cups and tubes of varying sizes off to one side of it.

Intrigued eyes roamed over every section of her little indoor garden. "You patch up plants too?"

"Oh no," she said with laugh. "Most all of the plants growing in here have medicinal properties, and the rest, I'm still experimenting with. Here, let me show you this one." She directed him to a potted plant suspended overhead, pointing to one of its flowers. "Ever seen this flower?"

He squinted as he looked up. "Can't say I have."

"It's called Bergamot." She gathered a few of the blossoms and moved on to a new plant in a stand by the nook. "How about this one?"

"I've seen that one before. But I don't know what it's called."

"Calendula. It's a tough cookie, grows even in the winter time. But does fine in a more controlled climate too. Great for keeping the skin nourished. And its friend here, the Bergamot, it's a summer grower. And it can be helpful with a bad sore throat, which trolls usually get this time of year."

"Okay…" he said, not sure where she was going with this.

"All good and helpful things, right?" She took the petals of the orange calendula and the fuchsia Bergamot and missed them together in a bowl. "Now, check this out." She took a jar of water that shined like a diamond made of liquid and poured it over the petals. She stirred it with a slender straw-like instrument. "If I add some of this…"

Branch watched as the petals slowly dissolved, combining with the water and becoming a liquefied hodgepodge of color. Orange misted into purple, giving way to pink and red too.

"Whoa."

"Drink a few mouthfuls of that and it should help you sleep. I call it my Sunset Bowl."

Hesitant at first, as was his nature, he sniffed at the colorful concoction and then sipped some of it down. "Wow, that's delicious."

"Amazing what a little glimmer water can do, huh? Now, keep in mind, it won't have the same effect unless you combine them. Some things work fine on their own, just doing what they do, but sometimes you put them together and they make a whole new kind of magic."

His brow furrowed as he peered down into the bowl in mild amazement. "…huh…"

With the jar of water lidded back up and stored, Plum turned to face him again. "Well, I'm going back to bed. Just wash that out for me when you're done?"

"Sure thing."

"Great. I really hope it helps."

"Guess I'll find out soon if it does. Thank you."

"Anytime. See you in the morning, Branch." One hand on the doorknob, she looked back at him. "Oh, and by the way, nice work on what you made earlier. I think your little fellow in felt deserves a page in a scrapbook of his own, don't you?"

She was gone before he could answer.

[]

Plum's concoction did actually help him get back to sleep. But even so, he could tell after waking back up that it had been a fitful final stretch.

Poppy and the sun were on the same schedule that day. As soon as it was up, so was she. She'd bounded into the living room, singing one of her Good Morning songs. Branch awoke with a start, pushing himself up as the pink troll danced around the room and belted out the opening verse and chorus, all with renewed vigor.

By the time she'd finished her song, Plum sat her down so she could give Poppy one more quick checkup, to make sure she was good to go. To Branch's dismay, Plum said it would be alright for Poppy to start back skating today, as long as she didn't overexert herself.

With a clean bill of health given to the excitable queen, she gathered up all their things. Branch helped her and when they were finished, he thanked Plum again for everything she'd done for them both.

Poppy all but dragged him back outside. Someone was eager.

Plum had washed and dried her practice clothes; she'd changed back into them as soon as the good doctor handed them over.

Now she was eagerly pulling him through the snow, going on and on, and on, about how she couldn't wait to get back onto the ice with him. And that as thankful as she had been for all of Dr. Plimsy's help too, she was about to go stir crazy if she had to be cooped up inside for one more day.

"Hello world! Hello snow! Hello lakeside! Helllooooo ice!" she cheered. "I'm ready for you, are you ready for me?!"

Branch was very much not ready. But he tried to keep an impassive face as she tugged him over to the fallen log where they always sat to put their skates on.

Poppy hummed a chipper tune, slipping on her crystal skates and gently knocking them together. Meanwhile, Branch was glancing nervously out at the large frozen lake. It was already feeling way too familiar, as he spied the very spot on the lake where Poppy had disintegrated from his touch in his nightmare. Goosebumps popped up along his arms, stomach curling into tight little knots.

"Branch? Yoohoo! You in there?"

He came back to the present as Poppy waved a hand in his face. "Is everything okay? You look a little pale."

Eyes flashed up to take in her concerned frown. "No…yea…fine," he said, voice sounding the faintest bit tense as he pulled on his skates.

"You sure?" she asked, tilting her head.

"Mm," he said, quickly nodding his head.

Skepticism sparked in her narrowed gaze, but she shrugged. "Okay! Let's go then!" She jumped up and marched herself over to the lake's edge. "We've got lots of work to still do, can't waste another minute standing around!"

She slid onto the ice then, gasping as she started to wobble on her blades. "Wh-whoa!" She threw her arms out to regain her balance.

Heart skipping a beat, or maybe four, Branch all but leapt off the log. Sprinting over, he immediately held his arms out on instinct, prepared to catch her.

She steadied herself with an airy little chortle. "Guess my feet have to adjust again, they've been kicked up for too long." She smiled back at him, slowly propelling herself further out.

How could she be so fearless? How could she just step back out there, as if nothing had ever happened?

"Hey! You coming or what?" she shouted, kicking up one of her feet and spinning in a circle.

His wary gaze darted from the ice to the troll skating on it. Then to the ice, then back to her. He didn't want to do this. Oh he really, really didn't want to do this.

But her persistent calling led him to step down, blades meeting the ice he could no longer completely trust. It took longer than it should have; he could tell from the impatient look on Poppy's face. But eventually he got to her.

"Um...okay…how'd you wanna pick this back up?"

"Right where we left off! We were going to work on my axel. And then move on to my butterfly spin, if we have time. We should have time. And we'll make time if we don't!"

The axel…the butterfly spin…jumps…he hadn't thought much of it before, but now he was very afraid of the dangers of jump executions. She could really hurt herself. Break or twist something beyond repair, pull something out of socket.

She could even suffer paralysis, partial or total. There was a chance if she did that she'd never be able to dance and do all the things she loved again. And everyone would remember that he was the monster that was responsible.

No, he couldn't do this. He wouldn't.

"…o-okay…"

Mouth betraying him, he slid backwards. "Uh, h-how 'bout we start with a warm-up? I think it'd be best, especially since we've been off the ice for several days now." Why couldn't it just stay that way?

"Oh, yea sure! If you think that would be best. I'm game, my man!"

He coaxed her back into the snow so she could perform some stretches. She propped herself up against a root and he walked her through every leg stretch he could think of.

Soon she'd had enough and insisted that if she did any more her muscles would stretch into strips of taffy and be useless.

Good. Maybe then they could get off this death trap waiting to happen.

But she wasn't having that. She dropped back down to the ice and whirled around in loops.

"Let's do a lap," Branch suggested a little too abruptly. "Around the edge. Help your body ease back into it."

"Okay, come on, you get out here too already!" She looked like she wanted to stamp her feet to emphasize how much she wanted to just do _something_ , but they were too compromised for that.

"Right…okay…" Gulping, he set one skate down on the ice, and then his other, moving forward in a swizzle so slow it would make watching paint dry look fun.

Clearly over it, Poppy grabbed his wrist and pulled him forward as she glided backward. "Let's _go_."

His arms windmilled and legs wobbled as he struggled to find traction when all he could think about was the ice cracking underneath them and finishing the job of taking Poppy's life.

He managed the single lap around the lake with her. Then again, it was easier to not grow anxious when she was right beside him, and it did quell his nerves a little that his touch hadn't made her actually freeze into a block of ice.

"Now then, stretches done, lap taken, time to get down to business!" she announced.

Had the lap really been that short? Maybe he could convince her to do one more.

Too late. She had already taken off, her apparent objective being to reach the middle of the lake as fast as possible. He had no choice but to follow after her, glancing worriedly down at his feet every few strides he'd take.

She circled back around and stopped. Feet apart, she placed her hands on her hips. "Okay, give me some pointers on pulling off a clean axel."

Branch squared his shoulders, knowing he needed to get a grip. Or at least, give it his best shot. "Um…okay, knees bent. Arms down at your sides. And remember to keep your ankles close together." Anxious fingers fiddled with his scarf. "This is an outside edge jump. Right outside edge."

"Right outside edge," she repeated. "Yep, I remember."

"Okay. So then, once you pick up enough speed, kick your knee up and jump. And really push off with your other foot so you can get enough height. You want to land in the opposite direction you started. And once you land, glide back."

"Right. Okay." She started skating around the perimeter to build up speed. "I'm feeling good about this. I think I can land it today!"

Branch wasn't feeling good about it, insides tangling up as Poppy flew past him and looped back around with that eager, determined grin on her face.

She jumped up and spun but touched down on both feet with a small frustrated huff. "Didn't jump high enough," she muttered to herself as she passed by again, pumping her legs a little too hard for Branch's liking. "I've got it now."

Throughout his life, Poppy's determination had either been a thing Branch found himself amazed by, annoyed by, or positively scared of.

Right now it was the third choice. He could almost feel his feet quaking in his skates as she skated faster and faster around him in a giant circle. It made him dearly miss those slow and simple days of fundamentals.

It was an odd kind of torture, to watch as she flew so fast around him. It didn't bother him so much before, but now it did, knowing she could get hurt and it would be so much harder to prevent it.

"Annnd kick!" She scraped her foot against the ice, vaulting herself in the air. High.

Too high.

The world began to move in slow motion to Branch, wide worried eyes watching Poppy pull herself into an airborne spin. Every negative outcome to this exploded in his mind in that moment.

 _Something bad is going to happen, you've got to stop her. She's going to get hurt. For her sake, you dolt,_ _ **do**_ _something!_

Racing forward on instinct alone, he slid over to the spot on the ice she was falling toward. Both arms thrown out, he braced, gritting his teeth as she landed in his awaiting arms.

They both crashed to the ice, Poppy's surprised shout echoing out.

The force had sent him down harder than he was expecting, head slamming against the sheet of hard ice underneath, most of the pain blooming in his hands and the side of one knee. "Ow…"

Poppy pushed herself up with ease, as Branch's body had absorbed most of the impact.

That didn't keep her from being shocked, and a little angry.

"What the hair was that about, Branch?!" she shouted down at him. "I was finally going to land it for the first time!" Shaking her head, she growled in aggravation that was gone as quickly as it came. "Are you okay?"

"Fine," he groaned weakly, holding a hand to the side of his head.

"Why did you do that?"

 _Because in my dream you died and I'm trying to prevent that in every feasible way I can think of now._

"I didn't want you to wipe out."

"I wasn't going to! I was about to land that axel! I could feel it!" She got back onto her feet and helped him up, brushing the ice off his coat, looking him up and down. "You sure you're okay? You're acting weird right now."

"No I'm just…I-I mean, yes, 'm fine."

She crossed her arms with a suspicious frown. "I'm not sure I believe you..."

"I think I'm just…a little tired from these past couple of days…" He winced. "And now my head hurts."

She sighed, moving his hand away so she could inspect the damage. "Maybe you should sit down for a bit."

Sit on the sidelines while she stayed out here on death's playground? Like that was happening.

He shook his head. "I'll be alright…"

"Okay…well I'm gonna try this axel again. Don't stop me this time."

He didn't answer her. He wasn't going to agree to something he wasn't positive he'd follow through on. That was not how Branch worked.

[]

The remainder of practice was…messy. But not the fun sort of messy that takes place during a party or an arts and crafts hour.

It was filled with lots of stopping and starting, and shouted demands from Branch for her to 'slow down!' or to 'keep both feet on the ice!' And above all: 'Don't try any doubles! Stick to single jumps!'

It took a while, but after seeing her execute several jumps cleanly without issue, he started to grow more at ease as he watched.

And then she overcorrected one, and toppled down, hands and face first.

"Poppy!" Heart feeling like it was fighting its way out of his chest, he skated to her side in a mad flash.

She picked herself up, setting one foot down to help her get stabilized. But before she could right herself enough to stand, Branch took the liberty of helping her up and dusting off the bits of ice stuck to her skin.

"Are you hurt?" he asked, examining every crease and curve of her face.

She looked like she was trying to scowl at him, but it was more a confused little frown. "No. All good, Branch. Just a fall. They happen, remember?"

"…yea…and they can hurt. Badly. I'm just trying to make sure you're okay."

"I'm okay." She studied his face then, eyes narrowing. "But you're not."

"What? No, I'm fine."

"No you're not."

"I _am_."

"No you're not," she repeated, louder this time, her fists poised against her hips. "Tell me what's wrong. You should know by now that you can tell me anything."

"I know. But nothing's wrong."

"Branch…" Based strictly on her tone, she might as well have tacked on a 'You better spit it out' to the end there.

"Poppy, I'm okay, really. I'm just…tired. I need a little more rest to clear my head. It's a little foggy up there." He massaged the bridge of his nose. "Can we stop for today?"

She was quiet for a moment or so, looking down and tapping at the ice with the toe of one skate. "Yea, sure…"

She was crestfallen. This was a big letdown for her and he knew it all too well. He had taken a needle to her balloon, and he saw the shriveled pieces fall to the ground after he'd cruelly popped it. He knew how much she wanted to master this jump, but he just wasn't in the right head space to help her accomplish that.

After they both took their skates off, Poppy held hers in a pensive manner. "Can we come back tomorrow and try again? After you've rested, I mean?"

"If I'm rested enough by then, yes."

"Okay then let's settle on a time. How does noon sound?"

"Noon sounds fine. If I'm up for it by then. I'll let you know one way or the other."

"Awesome." She looked toward the snowy path that led back to the village. "Well, I guess I'll get going. I've got to catch back up with my royal duties and all that anyways." Walking up, she placed her hands on his cheeks and planted a soft kiss on his lips, pulling away so fast it left him aching inside.

"I love you. Thank you, for saving me and taking care of me. Now, go get some rest."

Her kindness was so utterly undeserved. "Okay…I love you too."

She waved to him and started her trek up the path.

Branch stood on that same patch of snow long after Poppy had gone, staring out at the lake. It was empty, and still. A sight that was now every bit threatening as it was captivating. Fear seeped back in, nesting itself in his thoughts and gnawing at them, jumbling them up until his head was filled with nothing but noise.

He turned away, running back to the safety of his bunker. But the noise persisted.

[]

Over the week that followed, Branch spent as much of it as he could down in his underground home, only coming out to gather firewood. Definitely still not up to going back out on the ice, he'd gone to the village to tell Poppy he still wasn't feeling his best and that he would come find her again as soon as he was on the upswing.

By the third day, he hadn't made the first effort to seek her out.

The longer he stayed down there, the more it all started coming back to him why he'd shut himself away all that time before. Not only was it safe down here because he couldn't get hurt, but also, because he couldn't hurt anyone else down here either.

At the current hour, that fear was more prevalent.

He poured himself into his usual hobbies: cleaning, reorganizing, preserving new additions to his food pantry. He jotted things down in one of about a dozen journals he kept all over the place, and even sketched out plans for new rooms he thought about adding once the snow had melted.

He made every attempt to rest that he could, but whenever sleep found him, so did the terrible nightmare. It wasn't always the same; certain parts would change from one time to the next. But it always ended the same way. With him alone in a dark void. Screaming in a pain that was otherworldly.

It had gotten so bad that he started avoiding sleep altogether. Lying awake in bed, looking up at his ceiling, subjected to the noise that dominated his head, trying to think of anything that would calm him enough to quiet it down. Even to the smallest degree.

He had just finished eating a bowl of oatmeal and was on his way to the kitchen to stack it with the other dirty dishes that he'd piled up. When who would appear in the doorway, but the very troll he'd been hiding from.

Startled, Branch shouted and dropped his bowl. It fell with a loud clatter. He still held his spoon in one shaking hand as he gaped back at her.

She looked very unhappy, which was, in a way, oxymoronic for her. Thin eyebrows deeply set over narrowed magenta eyes. But as angry as she looked, there were speckles of concern that flecked her gaze too.

"Must you scare me like that every time you come down here?" he demanded, tugging at his robe before picking up the bowl.

"Branch…" Cautiously, she moved closer and for every step forward she took, he'd step back. "It's been three days…I've been worried."

The bowl was set in the sink. Then he found a wash rag draped over the lip of the sink and used it to clean the spoon he still held. "Oh, I didn't mean for you to worry, I'm fine."

She glared now. Harshly. "Stop saying that." She spit each word out like they were sour droplets on her tongue. "You're not. If you were you'd be up in the village right now instead of down here."

"What makes you say that? I love being down here. This is where I live. It's my home."

"But you haven't spent so much time at once down here since…before you got your color back. And last time I talked to you, you said we'd practice again when you felt up to it. And it's been three days since I've seen you."

"Right. Because I still don't feel up to it yet."

She fell quiet. When she spoke again, there was a faint strain in her voice. "You're avoiding me."

"No—"

" _Yes_ , you are. And I'm not leaving until you tell me why."

"I'm not avoiding you." What a notion. "I'm…a-avoiding the situation."

Her features scrunched in further confusion, and a splash of hurt. "I don't understand…will you just talk to me? Please? Tell me what's wrong. Did…did I do something wrong?"

The knife-like sensation stabbed him in the heart again, gouging out pieces both big and small. _Nice going, now she thinks she's responsible for you being a basket case._ "No, Poppy, of course not." Fingers pressed to his forehead, he then set down the spoon and rag, taking her by the hand. "Come sit with me a minute."

He led her out of the kitchen and into his den, sitting down on the couch, arm sweeping out in weary gesture for her to sit.

The cushion dipped as she claimed the space right next to him. So deprived of sleep was he that he was legitimately scared that his touch would make her shatter into a million icy pieces.

He sat in silence, something he did more often than not. He'd never know how long he sat with her in the stale light of the den, until he was able to bring himself to say what was on his overloaded mind.

"I think we should stop…"

"…stop what?"

"The whole ice skating routine. I don't think we should do it anymore."

* * *

 _Dun dun duuunnn!_


	9. Chapter 9 Total Avalanche of the Heart

Chapter 9 Total Avalanche of the Heart

* * *

"But…but why?" her voice wavered, a worrisome sign.

"I'd rather not get into it. I just wanted you to know that it's not because of you."

"It has to be. Because you're stopping so you can get away from me. Branch, what did I do?!"

"You didn't do anything!"

"Then tell me why you don't want to do this with me anymore. There has to be a reason and you're just refusing to tell me. Are you…" Her eyes grew wide. "Is it because you're having second thoughts? About…'us'? Do you…not want to be my boyfriend anymore?"

He laughed, and it came out sounding breathless and a little manic. It wasn't right to laugh at her question, but it was the only way to keep intact the ever weakening dam of emotions inside him.

He also laughed because it was funny, and was a question with a very simple answer.

No. He didn't want to be her boyfriend.

He wanted to be her fiancée, staying up late into the night with her to plan all the intricate details of their wedding ceremony and the over-the-top extravagant reception she'd want to invite everyone to afterward.

He wanted to be her husband, hold her hand and help her through the difficult obstacles she'd come to face in this grand walk of life. To be the one who would have the great honor of standing at her side as her king, to share all of the triumphs and hardships that came with leading their people.

To admire the glint of their wedding bands as they shared many a slow dance under the moonlight, nose taking in her scent as it slotted so perfectly against her velvet shoulder, tendrils of pink hair tickling his cheek.

To be the one to carry her to bed on nights when she wore herself out partying too hard. And fix her breakfast the next morning so she could regain her energy for whatever the next day would bring. Preparing decent food with proper nutrients added in, not just syrupy frothy garbage. Something healthy, with substance.

And then make her dinner and rub her shoulders and brush her hair on days she came home drained from spreading herself too thin with her desire to make everyone around her happy.

Read her every poem he'd written about her so that she'd catch a glimpse of how much she meant to him, even if he could never put that raw feeling into actual words, as words were too meaningless in comparison. But she could at least have an inkling that way.

He wanted to have days where they'd do nothing but stay inside, and he would make love to her for hours at a time, if she'd let him.

Listen to the rain fall outside as they lay snuggled in bed, running his fingers lazily through her hair and kissing every inch of her beautiful face.

He wanted to be able to call her the mother of his children. To see her bring a baby into the world that had her eyes and angelic laughter and his desire for practicality. Spend evenings rocking their little ones to sleep and teaching them about the wonders of the cozy village they'd grow up in. Watch them play and scrapbook together on the living room floor, and if he was encouraged to, join in on the quality time too. Show them all the invitations their mother had made for him, and tell them the story of how he'd fallen so madly for her.

Of course he didn't want to be her boyfriend.

What a stupid thing to want.

"That's _definitely_ not it. I want to be with you more than anything."

"Then what is it? Why do you want to stop skating with me?"

"Poppy I can't talk about this. Please don't make me. I thought I could handle explaining it to you, but I can't."

"You can't tell me why you won't skate with me anymore? Why's that such a hard thing for you to talk about?"

"It just _is_ , okay?" He hopped off the couch, rubbing at his face.

She huffed brusquely. "No. That's not an answer I came all the way down here to accept. I don't know what's going on with you and have no idea what I did that's making you want to push me away like this but I'm getting to the bottom of it. I'm not gonna let you do it without at least knowing why. I'm upset and confused and I deserve an answer! I mean, first you tell me you're in love with me and now you won't even look at me when I'm talking to you after you've avoided me for days and then you tell me you want to stop doing something with me that made me really happy for you to be part of. I'm at a major loss here, Branch."

His back was to her, voice starting to shake. "Poppy, I _can't_ talk about this. I know this is confusing and I never meant for you to get upset by this. But please understand this is really difficult for me to come to grips with too. I want to talk about it but…I-I…" He stopped himself, head shaking rapidly.

He heard her footsteps as she followed after him, feeling like defenseless prey scuttling to safety, only to be pinned with no escape. "If you're not going to tell me, then I'll drag it out of you. Is it because you've lost interest and find this to just be a silly waste of time for you?"

"No that's not why."

"Is it because you think I won't be able to master the jumps in time for the night of the routine and you don't want me to embarrass you or for me to be embarrassed if I slip and fall in front of everyone?"

"No!"

"Is it because you're getting spooked by me putting all this emphasis on my family traditions and think I have some extra expectation of you now? Because I don't."

"NO!"

"Then what is it?!"

He cupped both hands on his ears, just like he did in his dreams, eyes screwed shut and breaths quickening. "Stop, please." He wasn't speaking to her, but to the voice from his nightmare. It seeped into his conscious mind's domain and commenced its chant. With it snarling at him inside and Poppy still shouting at him on the outside, he fell apart under the deafening power of both voices shoving him down further and further. The final piece holding Branch together broke in two, and so did he.

"Tell me, Branch!"

"I'M NOT GONNA KILL SOMEONE I LOVE AGAIN!" He roared at the top of his lungs.

The noises all ceased like a candle dying in the wind, fading out in echoes, and for a fleeting moment he was grateful. His breaths were coming in short gulps, the backs of his eyes burning as searing hot liquid rose up and spilled over. "I won't…not ag…g-gain…I ca-n-n't…"

An avalanche of everything he'd been holding in tumbled out, crashing down the mountainside of his heart. Flowing fierce and free.

As he dropped to all fours, a sorrowful moan rose in his throat and he gave in to a wave of violent sobs that overcame him, wracking his frame and not once letting up. His shoulders hitched, arms trembling as he braced himself against the floor and bawled his eyes out. The anguished groans and whimpers of intense pain that gushed out alongside the torrent of tears were strange even to his own ears. He hadn't cried in such a way since he was really, really young.

Worn down by the storm of sobs he was defenseless to, he eased back to settle on his knees, face buried in his hands, knowing he could do nothing but yield to his own body's bidding as the storm ran its course.

There was a feather-soft touch to his hand. He flinched, opening bleary tear filled eyes and sniffling as he looked up.

Poppy was standing over him with a look of deep compassion. She knelt down in front of him, in a way that reminded him of that calm approach she'd taken with him the day she found out why he'd stopped singing when he became grey.

"This is about what happened at the creek," she whispered, and he couldn't be sure if she was asking him or just saying it out loud. He nodded, as that would work for either, sniveling a bit more while scrubbing at his eyes with the heel of his hand.

"Branch," she said, still whispering as she oh so gently took his hands. His head was lowered and eyes closed. They cracked open as her thumb caressed his cheek, taking a trickle of fresh tears with it.

"You didn't kill your grandma, and being on the ice with me isn't going to kill me either."

"How do you know?! You almost died the other night, and ever since then I've had nightmares, awful ones. One after the other, where I'm forced to watch everyone I love get taken from me. First my parents, then Grandma, and then you. I reach out and my touch turns you to ice, and you get taken from me too! And then I have nothing left, and I do nothing but scream because it hurts like hell and I don't want that to happen, Poppy. I don't! I'm scared out of my mind of losing you!"

Admitting that, bringing it out into the open like that, was absolutely liberating. He felt like he'd broken free of heavy shackles that had chained him down all those years.

With that liberation came even more tears. The sobs had melted down into a softer form of weeping. The muscles in his face hurt, his throat was charred to bits, his exhaustion upgraded from merely mental to physical too. Or maybe, it was a downgrade. Regardless, these tears, though depleting him of his vigor, were also oddly replenishing.

His weeping let up when Poppy leaned in close and wrapped him in one of her soul-swaddling hugs. She rested her cheek against his, lightly rubbing one hand up and down his back, the other slipping through the hair on his scalp.

She held his hands and coaxed him to stand, perplexed as to what she was doing but way too tired to question it.

She guided his arms forward one at a time, placing each of his hands on her sides, and then linking her arms around his neck. She led him to move back as she stepped forward, pulling him into an easygoing circle. Her forehead to his, she gazed into his eyes as she sang to him in relaxed soprano.

 _In your arms_

 _I find the courage_

 _In your arms_

 _I gather strength_

Her fingers came to slide delicately against his face, and she held his gaze.

 _Have you heard?_

 _Have I told you?_

 _I just want to hold you_

 _Grow old with you in my arms._

He stumbled over his feet, and when she caught him and held him tight, his tears started up all over again in her embrace.

She let him fall apart on her shoulder, waiting until his sobs subsided enough that she could start talking again.

"I had no idea. That you were dealing with this. I wish you'd told me."

"I—" He sniffed. "I didn't wan-nt to. Why should we both s-suffer for something-ng that I-I'm dealing with?"

"You're looking at it wrong. It's not suffering for me if I want to help you. If we're in this together, we share the good and the bad, right?"

He couldn't form an answer. Words come slow when the mind is worn down.

So she went on for him. "Look." She pulled back but still held onto him. "I understand now why doing this would be too much for you, and I'm not upset, okay? I just thought you didn't want to be with me anymore or that I'd done something to make you change your mind about being part of this. So I'm glad to know that's not why you want to stop. And I'm so sorry that you're having these awful nightmares. But nothing's happened to me, I'm here, and I love you. And doing this with me won't take me from you." He said nothing and she bit down on her lip. "But if you aren't comfortable with it anymore, I get it. And it's fine. I can finish it on my own or get Aspen to help me. I'll get it figured out, don't worry."

He forgot how to breathe for a second, staring in disbelief at her. "You're…you're still going to do it?"

"Well, yes. I've already put so much planning and time into it. And now that everyone knows about it, I'd be letting them down if I decided not to."

He swallowed, her reply leaving an acidic taste in the back of his mouth. "So, everything I just told you…none of it means anything to you? At all?"

"No, it does!"

"But you're still going to do it, even if I don't want you to."

"Branch, I don't do things halfway and call it quits. I'm the girl who doesn't give up even when you knock me over. You know that."

"But I don't want you to do it anymore!"

"But _I_ want to!" she shouted. "I want to do it to honor my mother, and my family, and to bring something special to all the trolls this season. And I'm not going to stop because of the possibility of putting myself in danger. It's a small possibility. What happened to me was a crazy freak accident and that's all it was. It happened, and it's over. And it didn't kill me. So now I'm going to skate my routine, and I'm going to be fine."

He nodded bitterly. "That's really it then? You're going to toss everything I told you to the side so you can carry on your cutesy little tradition, no matter how I feel about it…"

"I already told you, you don't have to be part of it anymore. If it upsets you this much, I won't beg you to keep coaching me. But I'm not gonna stop because you're scared of the tiny chance that something will happen to me out there. That's just dumb!"

His ears fell back and he drew in an uneven breath through his nose as his eyes narrowed at her. "No what's dumb is you risking your life for something as trivial as ice skating. And you're not doing this for your family, or for the other trolls, you're doing it for you! You told me you loved me. If you loved me you wouldn't do this because you'd know what it's doing to me to find out you're still going through with it! That's not love, Poppy, that's being stubborn and selfish!"

She froze in place, jaw going slack, a deeply offended expression darkening her features.

Okay, _now_ he'd messed everything up.

Her lips formed a tight line as she folded her arms and shrugged. The casual gesture failed to mask the hurt he could plainly see all over her face. "Guess I'm just a selfish, stubborn troll then." She averted her eyes, teeth anchored on her lip as she picked up a small bag she'd dropped beside a chair at his kitchen table. "I made something for you yesterday. And brought something else that I wanted to show you. Do with it what you want. Oh, and Dr. Plimsy stopped me in the village, asked me to deliver something to you since I was on the way to see you. It's all in here." She set the bag in the middle of the table. "I'm gonna go now."

"Poppy wait—"

He trailed off as she reached the lift. She didn't look over her shoulder at him, not even a single glance, as she grabbed hold of the lever. The lift activated, taking her up and out of sight.

Fists clenched, he ran over to the shaft and shouted up the long vertical tunnel. "Okay! Fine! Go! Make everyone up there proud! That's what you really want! Right?!"

When he heard the main entrance door open and slide shut again, he dropped down, curling up into a fetal position and giving in to another round of uncontrollable sobbing.

Some time later, he heard a weird scraping sound against the door. Another visitor? Oh glorious day.

The scraping continued, growing louder.

"Go away," he groaned. He knew they couldn't hear him down here, but it felt good to say regardless.

The scraping stopped after a minute or so, and he was about to sigh in relief when he heard what sounded like digging. Someone or some _thing_ had found a weak spot in his tunnel system and was trying to get through. Clumps of dirt rained down as whatever was on the other side was about to reveal itself. Crawling backward on his hands and feet, he felt for the closest object in reach he could use to defend himself: a broom. Great.

Gripping the stick, he steeled himself for the worst, when a fluffy head popped through the opening in the dirt it had created.

"Ripple!"

The creature chattered, shimmying his dirt-covered body through the small makeshift opening and leaping into the air, wings flapping as he hovered a few seconds and then landed at Branch's feet. The quinlyr blinked down at the troll and chirped curtly at him.

"You made a huge mess that I have to clean up. Thanks a lot."

Ripple leaned down, snuffling at Branch's face.

"What?" Branch grumbled, feebly swatting at him. "I don't wanna play right now. I want to lay here and rot. Alone." He lay back down on his side, facing the wall. "That's what I deserve."

Ripple sunk his teeth into Branch's ear. Not hard but enough to make him yelp and spring up so he could shove the creature's muzzle away. "Hey! Stop it!"

Ripple gave another insistent chirp, tail curling around his hind legs.

"Do you want berries? If I give you some, then will you leave me alone?"

His wings fluttered as he grabbed the belt of Branch's robe with his teeth and firmly tugged.

"Okay, okay!" Rolling his eyes he got up, snatching the piece of his belt away from the quinlyr with a quick glare. His head pounding from crying so hard, he rubbed his forehead as he shuffled to the kitchen and retrieved the sacred speckleberries, dumping a handful at the creature's feet. "There. Dig in."

Ripple sniffed at the offer, and with his nose, pushed each berry away.

Branch arched an eyebrow wearily. "So no berries? What do you want then?"

The quinlyr sniffed, following an invisible trail that led him over to the table. He spied the bag that had been left there, uttering excited squeals and hopping in place.

"What? That's the bag of stuff Poppy brought me. Why do you want that?"

The quinlyr took the bag strap in its teeth and held it out to Branch, dropping it in front of him and pushing it forward with a front paw.

"You want me to open it?"

The creature chattered, as if to say, 'Duh, you dummy.'

Branch shook his head. "I don't want to."

Tilting his head, Ripple nudged it forward a little more, and Branch stopped him, putting it back on the table. "No. I'm not opening it."

Grunting, the creature flounced, loping into the living room and bringing back Branch's skates, setting them at his feet this time.

"Are you trying to cheer me up or something? I appreciate the sentiment, but skating's not going to fix anything. In fact, after the fight Poppy and I just had, I don't think I ever want to see these things again. I'm gonna go put them back."

'Back' happened to be to a trunk he'd kept in a storage room for years. An enclosed area sitting between his den and bedroom. In it, he kept things that he'd collected over the years that were of importance to him in some way or another. Mostly keepsakes from his family, things that belonged to his loved ones that he'd been able to collect from the Tree. His father's skates and his favorite vest, his mother's necklace and her butterfly comb, his grandmother's ring and a set of wind chimes she'd made for him.

Crushed and defeated, he began to lower the skates back into their spot in the trunk.

A dirty white paw shot out and slapped at his hands, causing him to drop the skates.

"Ripple!" he shouted. "Would you cut it out?! You already dug a hole through one of my walls, be nice if you'd keep your muddy paws where they belong! I can't replace anything in here."

Ripple was unfazed by this outburst from his berry-giver, head dipping into the trunk and sniffing at the contents without a care. Giving another low chattering noise, he pulled out a box. Small and simple, held together by thin cardboard.

Branch tried to grab for it, but Ripple pulled away, initiating a game of chase.

"Bring that back!" He dashed after the creature, feeding into his infuriating request, almost tripping a few times or running into walls when the furball would take a sharp turn into another room.

After a third lap through the kitchen, Branch had cornered him up, baring his teeth. "If you know what's good for you," he growled, "you'll drop that box and drop it now. Or else I'll be forced to take drastic measures that I'd rather not take with you."

Good thing no one was around to hear him threaten his pet who was a good three times his size and most likely didn't even understand what he was growling about. They'd probably think he was crazy.

The quinlyr leaped right over the troll as he frantically swiped for the box, without any luck.

"Ripple!" he barked sharply. "I said drop it!"

He got what he wanted; whirling back around, Ripple opened his mouth and the box fell out. When it hit the floor, the box came apart. Pictures exploded from it, floating all around.

He was livid as he glowered up at the winged beast. "Thanks. That makes two messes I have to clean up because of you. And you just got here. I wish you'd tell me what you want so you'd beat it and leave me be to sulk in peace."

Every time Ripple would sniff at a picture, Branch would rescue it and pick up the next. He'd have to find a new box to put these all in, but for the time being, he decided to set them on the table by Poppy's bag.

Just then, Ripple was making all kinds of excited sounds at one of the pictures that had fallen to the floor. His ears perked straight up and he stamped his paws happily.

Still scowling, Branch marched over to see what the fuss was about. His anger began to fade just a bit as he stared down at the photograph.

"Oh, I see. You thought you found one of Poppy. That's not her, that's her mother. She's in the background over there. See the little bundle Peppy's holding? That's Poppy."

Ripple whined softly, head tilted as he lowered his paw to the opposite corner of the photo and everyone smiling from that side.

"Yea…that's me. And my family." His eyebrows furrowed as he picked the picture up. In the muted light, he spied something written on the back. He flipped it over and read the message.

 _Branch,_

 _May you always remember, that being together is the reason, and the very key to life itself._

 _-Primrose_

He remembered the night that picture was taken. Remembered it all so well. Like it was yesterday…

…

It was late evening in Bergen Town. Snow was falling, floating down slowly in a stunning cascade of tiny white flurries.

Beneath the Troll Tree, grass and plants within the cage bars were covered in a light layer of frost, and the pool of water the trolls loved to swim in on hotter months was frozen over.

A young Branch was out skating. He was just a little thing, and his movements weren't elaborate, but they were smooth and very impressive for a troll his age and size.

At the pool's edge, two adult trolls watched from where they stood. One, a male, with hair the same color as Branch's. It grew atop his head and a bit of it covered his chin and jawline as well. But his skin was a lighter shade of blue.

Next to him, a female troll with striking eyes and wispy green hair. She leaned against the other, beaming and waving to Branch every time he'd pass by.

"Momma! Daddy! Watch this!" He picked his arms up and spun in a circle one way, and flipped around in the opposite direction. He grinned widely, arms thrown out in a proud flourish. "Ta-da!"

The two applauded and cheered.

"Our boy's a natural, Junebug," the blue-haired troll said to the female on his arm.

"Mhm," she agreed with a content smile.

"Dad!" Branch called, skidding to a stop in front of them. "Race you 'round the edge. Come on!"

"Oh you know I'm down for that!" He knelt to put his skates on and joined his son on the ice. "Get ready!"

The two flew around the edge like nothing could stop them, laughing as they'd pass one another. His dad offered his hand, and when Branch took it, he giggled as he was lifted up and spun around as his father held him. After he set him back down, his father did a little showing off for the green-haired troll, maneuvering on his blades with finesse. He pulled off a double combination, and then a triple, making it look effortless. When she clapped, he winked at her and blew a kiss.

She caught the kiss and held it to her heart.

Branch had the greatest time, as he and his father skated around each other in wide, playful rings. Or they would each skate to one side of the pool and meet each other in the middle, performing every jump and leap known to trollkind. And if Branch ever came close to falling, his father was always right there, ready to catch him.

When both grew tired, they skated back to the edge and sat on the flat stone surface surrounding the frozen pool. As the two removed their skates once more, three female trolls came over to join them.

One was the green-haired troll, his mother, who came to sit by her blue-haired love. She hugged him from the side and kissed his cheek.

The second was Rosiepuff, who found a spot to the left of the couple.

The other female approached from the opposite side. She wore a sparkling yellow dress, her dark pink bangs falling in ringlets against her glittery cheeks. She bent down and smiled sweetly at the young troll.

"Hello, Branch. Do you mind if I sit with you while I put my skates on?"

Branch, who had been kicking his legs and peering at his reflection on the ice below, looked up at her in wide-eyed amazement. "You know my name."

She grinned, her light purple nose crinkling, magenta eyes filled with boundless love and jubilance. "Of course I do. I try to know the name of every troll in the Tree, but I could never forget yours. You were born during my coronation! You're a pretty special little guy."

He cocked his head. "What's a… _cronation_?"

"It's a big party to celebrate when a troll becomes a king or queen."

Suddenly, he felt bad.

"What's wrong, sweetheart?" she asked him. "You look sad."

He looked at his parents and then back to her. "Did Momma have to miss the party to have me?"

She gave him an adoring look and picked him up, setting him in her lap. "Only part of it. But you don't need to be worried about that. Because once you came along, we had a party that was just as exciting in every way!" She cuddled him close. "Nothing's more special than getting to welcome a baby troll into your family!"

About that time, King Peppy walked over. He was cradling a wriggling bundle in his arms, smiling so tenderly at the face peeking out of the blankets it was wrapped in.

Branch watched over the queen's shoulder as Peppy walked closer. "That's the princess," he said, smiling up at her. "I know, 'cause she looks like you. 'Cept for her nose. She's _all_ pink."

She laughed gently, nodding down at him. "That's right. My princess in pink! My sweet little Poppy."

Branch looked the queen up and down thoughtfully. "I'm glad she finally stopped hiding in your tummy. I thought she was gonna stay in there forever."

That had her laughing even more. "You and me both! But she's here now." She hugged him close, smiling at Peppy and the cooing pink bundle. "I hope you two become the best of friends." She set him down and cupped one of his cheeks. "And Branch, I don't ever want you to forget, at the end of the day, what's most important is being together. Life can be really scary for us at times, but if we stay together, it's a lot less scary. Because fear can't ever stand in the way of love. No matter how hard it tries."

Patting his cheek, she gave him one last smile, laced up the crystal skates on her feet, and touched down on the ice.

…

Branch's eyes flashed open, and he struggled to readjust to the present. The low light of an underground bunker, and a quizzical quinlyr sitting before him, paws covered in dirt and wings ruffling against his body. Marble eyes looking upon the troll so innocently as he held the photo.

Fresh tears spilled from Branch's eyes. He'd done enough crying to last a lifetime tonight. But perhaps, that was how he was going to make up for all those years he'd packed that part of him away.

Smiling and sniffling, he threw his arms around Ripple's fluffy chest. "Thank you," he whispered.

The creature nuzzled his head, and then padded forward, looking back at him and standing still as he moved his head and neck in a frontward arc a few times. It took Branch a moment to understand that he wanted him to follow him.

And where else would he take him, but to the table, nudging Poppy's bag adamantly.

Branch gave a quiet groan. "Do I have to?"

Ripple flared his nostrils, and he had to chuckle. "Okay, okay." Hesitantly, he reached into the bag and pulled out a card. It was not a party invitation. That was clear to him, as he read the words "Thank You" in vibrant color on the front.

Wincing, he slowly opened the card, revealing a pop-up image of himself and Poppy underneath a rainbow and surrounded by flowers and critters.

He pulled the tab on the side and watched with a heavy heart as pop-up Branch picked Poppy up and held her in the air.

On the bottom flap, in expertly crafted letters, it read, "For always being there when I need you".

He wanted to curl up and die in a hole somewhere miles away.

 _Congratulations. You're officially the worst_.

A hand covering his face, he set the card down with a pained grimace.

"I really screwed up this time. Bad."

The creature's ears flickered as he poked his head back into the bag, pulling out a container.

"Oh yea, Poppy said she brought something from Dr. Plimsy too. Let me see that." He took the container, wrinkling his nose at the slimy feel of saliva. Wiping his hand off on his pajama pants with a grossed-out grunt, he took the lid off, pulling out two packs of petals, a vial of glimmer water, and a note. It read:

 _In case you need extra help getting to sleep at night. Come visit anytime for more petals!_

 _Plum_

He studied the ingredients from Plum and the card from Poppy, and the photo, staring at each one for a very long time.

In the midst of thorough contemplation, it all became clear.

"I have to fix this…" His burst of determination from seconds before fizzled out and he slumped against the table. "But I have no idea how…"

Ripple took the bag in his teeth and shook it about, which made the final item inside fall out.

Branch caught it before it hit the floor. One look at it had a brilliant idea taking root in his mind.

"I think I've got it!" Putting the item in his hair for safe keeping, he faced his winged pet. "You've been a really big help tonight. You're a lot more intelligent than I first gave you credit for."

Ripple turned and, spotting the bushy end of his tail, started chasing it. After a successful pursuit around his own body, he gleefully nibbled at the tip of his tail. He gave an oblivious, chittering squeak, tongue hanging out of the side of his mouth.

Branch blinked. "Uh…right…okay, look, I have to go. Which means you have to scram too. And do me a favor? Clean yourself up before you consider coming back down here again."

He ushered his winged companion out of the bunker, and after dressing to leave, set out for the village.

His little journey took him to a pod he'd never stepped foot in before, as he'd never had any reason to. Until tonight.

He knocked at the door, rubbing his hands together to warm them up. Three days underground isn't exactly beneficial in helping one stay used to harsh winter weather. Shivering from head to toe, he knocked again, restless energy coursing through him as the door creaked open. The troll on the other side didn't look all that pleased to see him.

"Branch…do you have _any_ idea what time it is?"

"Late," he answered matter-of-factly. "It's late, I know…but I really need your help with something."

* * *

 _Small reprise of_ _ **In Your Arms**_ _. Once again, I do not own the song._

 _I've done a lot of playing around with time to tie this into the canon past. I made my best attempt to make it fit. And I think, for the most part, it does._

 _Here's how the timeline goes. In the flashback scene, since little Branch still has his color after Poppy is born, we can assume that his parents and Poppy's mom were taken at the next Trollstice. And then a few months later, anywhere ranging from three to five months, is when his grandma is taken. Since she wouldn't be taken on Trollstice, it makes sense as to why Chef's arrival seemed to be such a surprise. I like to think Chef started secretly taking trolls for herself somewhere along the way._

 _So, following this idea, Branch then loses his color, and it still allows Poppy the time to grow into the toddler she's depicted as during the escape._


	10. Chapter 10 By Devotion's Thread

Chapter 10 By Devotion's Thread

* * *

"Close! Really close! But next time, try not to lock your knees. Alright? And really throw your arms out when you know you're about to hit the ice coming back down. Try again, you've almost got it!"

Poppy was back on the lake by the week's end, but in a changing of the roles, a most disappointing one at that, Aspen was coaching her through the routine. He'd picked it up surprisingly fast, and was a very competent skater. Offering many a helpful pointer and always willing to try to switch things up if he thought it would aid her in landing a jump or improving her form.

But it wasn't the same.

Not because Aspen wasn't a good coach; he was. An outstanding one, actually.

But because, as simply as it could be put, Aspen was not Branch.

And while he was very nice and supportive, it was a kind of nice and supportive that couldn't even scratch the surface with the dejected queen. As guilty as it made her feel, it wasn't exactly something that could be helped, not after diving in so deep with Branch.

And as Aspen put his arms around her to help her achieve proper posture, picking her up so she could really get a feel for how the different muscle groups worked to move her body while going into a difficult jump, it only left her with a glum frown and slumped shoulders, as she longed to be held in a pair of strong protective arms instead of the toned but wiry ones enclosed around her.

And any time he got close enough, her nose would take in the scent he gave off: marmalade and mint. Nothing at all like the scent of dirt and freshly grown grass that she'd become so fond of.

She missed that rich, earthy scent. And the troll who possessed it. And being surrounded by Aspen's scent and arms was only making her miss him even more.

And when he looked at her with those bright tangerine eyes, she only realized how greatly she missed another set of eyes. A pair of beautiful azure ones, their every gaze looking upon her in an ardency she'd probably never be used to.

"What did I tell you about dropping those shoulders?" Aspen's hands came to rest on her upper arms and he gave them a playful squeeze. "Keep them squared. Trust me, it makes a world of difference."

When she didn't answer him, he lightly shook her. "Popsters!"

A sigh escaped her lips, a grimace forming on them shortly after. Popsters. One of the nicknames her friends had come up with to call her. She loved her nicknames, no matter how simple or silly they sounded. Each one was special to her.

But at this point in time, the only nickname she wanted to be called by was Angel. And she wanted to hear it spoken in that honey-silk voice that she couldn't get out of her head.

"Helloooo! You listening to me?"

"Hm?" The same glum frown on her face, she glanced back at him. "Yea. Shoulders…got it."

"Sweet! So you wanna give it another shot then?"

"Sure, why not?" She'd intended for her reply to be casual and light, but as it fell off her tongue, it sounded dull and lifeless.

Still she did her best to attempt the jump again, blades digging into the ice as she pushed herself forward.

 _Focus, Poppy. One foot, then the next. Now faster. Steady. Keep your balance. Good. You've got this. You can do this._

 _And you can do it without him._

With a swift kick, she launched herself up, spun in a half-circle and landed smoothly.

Her fists clenched as she whipped back around in frustration and skated the other way. She landed, but she hadn't executed the jump. With landing on the opposite foot, she had to alter her center of gravity from one side to the other. This meant she'd half to spin a full one-and-a-half revolutions in the air.

So, off she went again. Disheartened but no less determined to get this right.

She flew past the lake's edge, building up speed, kicked, pushed up, and brought herself into a full rotation in the air.

After that, she just had that last half spin to go.

Unfortunately, she hadn't gotten enough height during the jump's flight phase, and gravity thrust her back to the ice all too quickly. She had been concentrating so much on spinning so she could land on her other foot, but wasn't exactly ready for that moment when it happened. The skate she touched down on hit the ice at a bad angle and she slid down, knees and palms slamming against the hard slippery ice.

 _Wrong. You're so wrong. Wrong wrong wrong WRONG!_

 _You need him. Pretend all you want, but you know the truth._

Aspen pulled a wince, shying away a bit at the sight. "Oooh, that's gonna leave a gnarly bruise." He skated over to her and held out a hand. "You alright?"

"Yea," she mumbled quietly, head down as he helped her up. "Peachy keen."

"I just remembered you've got that salve that Branch gave you. We'll put some of that on those spots and you'll be right as rain!"

"Uh-huh," she murmured, still looking down. Sure, that salve was a real miracle worker.

For physical injuries.

But it had no prayer of healing a battered spirit.

"You wanna sit down a minute? Rest your knees? And, you know, your whole body, while you're at it?"

With the front of one blade, she chipped at the ice, freeing a few shavings as the blade carved out a small abstract shape. "I…" She stopped with the chipping, smoothing down the bottom of her coat as she very slowly shook her head. "…no…I _-_ I think I wanna…I wanna…stop…for now…"

"Already?" said Aspen with a confused frown. "But you were about to get it!"

"I know. And I really, really appreciate you agreeing to come out here and help me, and learn the rundown of my routine and everything. You've been an amazing stand-in coach. And I want to keep going but…" She tucked her chin, mouth covered by her bunched-up scarf. "I…I-I just…" her throat began to tighten. Her eyes squinted as she stared down at her feet, trying to shove away the urge to curl into a ball and fall apart.

"You're not feeling it, 'cause you're upset about something. I can see it all over your face." He glided closer, a hand coming to rest on her shoulder. "You wanna talk? Would that help?"

Oh she wanted to, she really did. So terribly that it was about to drive her right off hysteria's cliff. But she was afraid everything would burst from her mouth in such a chaotic jumble that it would not only confuse and overwhelm Aspen but maybe scare him a little bit too.

And she wasn't one to enjoy scaring anyone. Unless it was Hairloween _._ Because that would be all in fun.

This wasn't fun in the slightest.

And while the sporty troll was a good friend of hers, she wasn't quite close enough to him to feel comfortable opening up about this. This being the crazy muddle of emotions and worries that coiled around her like a vicious yarn snake. Squeezing her so tight, she'd soon be struggling for air if she didn't find a way to break free.

"Thank you, but, I'm-gonna…go. I'm really sorry."

"Poppy," he shook his head. "You don't have to be sorry about anything. If you need to stop, then stop. I'll be around if you decide you wanna pick this back up later."

"You sure you don't mind?"

"Not a bit!" He rubbed at his elbow with an amiable smile, doing his best show of sympathy. "I uh, hope whatever's going on gets worked out."

She yanked him into a hug, a quick one void of her normal enthusiasm. And she felt so strange initiating it. "Thanks, Aspen. You're a really good friend."

She was taking off her skates before she even reached the snow. Shoving her feet into her knee-high moccasin boots, she gave a wave that was probably too fast to even be a true wave, and she dashed down the path.

[]

Poppy tore through the village, barely offering a friendly 'hello!' to her fellow villagers out and about as she soared by.

There was only one troll she wanted to see right now. She just hoped he was home.

Once she got to his pod, she pushed the door open, breathing hard from running through mounds and mounds of snow.

She jogged into the living room and was about to call out for him, when he leisurely ambled around the corner. "I thought I heard someone come in," he greeted warmly, a shaky hand gripping his walking cane.

"Dad," she gasped.

"How's my girl?" he asked, smile unassuming but tone making it evident he knew something was up.

Poppy slumped forward. "Been better," she brokenly squeaked. Then the chaotic jumble she'd been worried about reared its wild head. "Today's been…a really weird day for me, and I haven't been able to talk to anyone about why it's been weird, 'cause I don't want to upset or worry anyone else, and I don't even know if I know what I want to say, but I'm super upset and have a problem I don't know how to fix. I don't even know if there's a way to fix it." She began to stammer, her voice climbing an octave as her emotions got the better of her. "A-and I could r-really use yo-our help because I'm ab-bout to…h-ha-have a breakdown."

"Okay okay, come here," he said in a soothing voice as he lowered himself onto the small sofa, propping his cane against the armrest and holding his arms out. "Come and sit. Right here."

She practically collapsed into her father's comforting hold, whining something incoherent against his shoulder.

"Now you just breathe," he told her. "Give yourself a chance to get everything all sorted up there in your head. And you take all the time you need to do that, you hear? You don't have to do a thing except sit here with me until you're ready, and when you are, you can tell me as much or as little as you want to about what's going on."

The calm hand rubbing circles along her back was the very thing she needed to keep the stitches holding her together intact.

She rested her cheek against the sleeve of his sweater. "Branch and I had a fight…a bad one."

"Oh…I'm so sorry to hear that." And he did sound sincerely hurt for her. "Do you wanna tell me what it was about?"

"It won't really make sense unless I tell you what happened before the fight. And it's...kind of a lot."

"Well I hope you don't think that would be a problem with me." He combed a stray piece of her hair back with a smile. "You know I have all the time in the world for you. I don't mind a long-winded recount. Though I may start to doze off at the half-hour mark."

She laughed weakly. Naturally, he'd be the troll to bring that out of her today. "Erm…okay…" She took one of the sofa pillows and held it as she spoke. "So, I guess you know that Branch took me to the valley you and Mom discovered before you had me."

"I do. I know all about that. He came to see me and I told him about the map and showed him my scrapbook." Peppy leaned back, appearing mildly shocked. "He took you already?"

"Mhm."

"That's surprising. Not that he took you. But that you're back already. The trip up there can take weeks from our village."

"Oh, we took Ripple, his new pet." She could tell he was confused, so she explained. "Branch made friends with a quinlyr. They're these really cute furry animals that have wings and their fur can change color to help them hide from danger. It's really cool. But yea, that's how we got there and came back so fast." With an understanding nod from Peppy, she went on.

"So, he took me there, because he knew I needed to figure out my motivation for bringing back Mom's skating tradition. And he's been coaching me too. Not sure if he told you about that part, or if you heard."

"I didn't know that part, no. But that's wonderful."

A blanket lay draped across Peppy's shoulders, his favorite one, and when he offered Poppy the other half to wrap up in, she sighed gratefully, dropping the pillow and scooting towards him.

"Yea, he's been teaching me how to skate since the day after I asked you if I could pick up the tradition. Because, I gotta be honest with you, I had no idea what I was doing out there. But luckily, Branch remembered from back when he was taught. So then we started practicing all the time, just the two of us, and I got pretty good at it. And then he takes me to the valley and shows me the crystal cave where you took Mom, and showed me where you two carved your names in a heart in the cave wall. And it was all so sweet and romantic and I was completely taken aback and touched that he would do something like that for me. And then we kissed, right there under all those crystals. It was like something out of a dream."

"I can't tell you what it means to me to know that he went out of his way to take you to a place that was so special to me and your mother. I hope you found it special too."

"I did. I really want to go back one day. When the time's right. I want it to be a special place for me and my special someone. If I get to have one..."

"Well you sound like you're well on your way." He gave a concerned frown as she looked away sadly.

"I thought I was…" she mumbled. "I thought… _we_ were…"

He pulled his arm tighter around her. "So, how did this big fight happen?"

She huffed a troubled sigh. "Okay so, everything was great. Until we got back. We were going to meet up at the lake again to pick back up with our practice sessions. But on the way there, something happened. And before I tell you, please don't freak out on me."

"I'll give my best attempt."

She uncurled herself from around him, sitting up straight. "Alright. So the following night, I was on my way to meet him at the lake. I took a shortcut over the creek, but I ended up falling through the ice."

"My goodness!" he exclaimed.

"But I was okay, Branch saved me," she was quick to add. "He took me to Dr. Plimsy and they both looked after me until I made a full recovery."

"Why didn't you tell me until now?"

"Because I didn't want you to worry about me."

"Oh Poppy," he sighed, hugging her tightly from the side. "Well, I'm immensely grateful he was there to save you. Sounds like I owe him my gratitude for that. But I know there's more to this little story, so go on."

Poppy nodded. "So, after we left, I wanted to get back on the ice as soon as possible. But then Branch started acting really strange. And he started avoiding me, and when I confronted him about it…he told me he didn't want to do the routine anymore. And I demanded he tell me why. But I guess I pushed too hard, and I made him have a meltdown. Turns out he was having nightmares since my little…incident."

Peppy gave a thoughtful hum. "Were these nightmares about you?"

"Not just about me. He said in his nightmares, he relived losing everyone he loved, and then I became part of that lineup and he'd lose me too. And he said that having them was making him scared to death of losing me in real life. And he cried…he cried so hard. I didn't even know a troll could cry as hard as he did. It was kind of…scary."

"Mmm…and how did you react?"

"I held him to me and said I was sorry about everything he was going through but that he didn't need to worry about something happening to me. And that if he didn't feel comfortable doing this with me because he was scared of what might happen, that he didn't have to anymore, and I'd find a way to do it without him. And that's how the fight started. He didn't want me to do it at all, and I didn't think it was fair of him to ask that of me. So were both shouting and arguing and it ended with him calling me stubborn and selfish…and then I left…"

"I see…and when did this all happen? The fight itself, I mean."

"A few nights ago…we haven't seen each other since…" She felt a lump growing in her throat. "He told me he was scared of losing me and now I'm scared of the exact same thing. We argue all the time, but it never got this heated before…and knowing this dumb little shouting match could end our relationship…it's really eating me up inside."

"Do you want it to end?"

"No!" she cried. "I love him, Dad. So much. Like I've never loved anyone before in my entire life. I was just frustrated because I was really happy about doing this and I wanted to do it, and to share it with him and everyone else, but now he doesn't want anything to do with it…" Her lip quivered wildly as she willed the tears away with all her ever deteriorating might. "…and may not want anything to do with me either…"

"Oh no, I don't believe that's the case at all, Poppy," he murmured reassuringly. "Sounds like quite the opposite to me." He leaned his head back with a thoughtful look. "Try to imagine, for a moment, how the world looks through Branch's eyes. He lost everyone near and dear to him when he was just a little sprout. He had to figure things out all on his own as he grew up. But you've always had me to run to when you're faced with a dilemma or a conflict amongst other trolls that needs settling. Or just when you need some advice or a hug or a late night conversation over a batch of cookies that ends with me reminding you how much I love you. He didn't have any of those things. You could say he had the opportunity to make friends who would love him, but you and I both know that's different. Your family resides in a place in your heart all its own. Not to mention, think about how terrifying that would have to be, to go beyond yourself to try and find happiness again, a different kind this time, and try to hold onto it, knowing it could be violently snatched away again in the blink of an eye."

Poppy looked down. "Yea…that would be pretty awful. And I know it's different. A troll's family is…where they come from…it's who they are…" She ran a finger along the edge of the sofa cushion. "I know I don't remember much about Mom, but I do miss her. Even if I wasn't old enough to really remember her."

"Oh I know you do, Honey, I'm not saying that at all."

She fiddled with one corner of the blanket. "I just mean that it was probably harder for you to lose her, since you have so many memories of her. And you're totally right; you've always been right nearby, to give me a loving nudge and an extra boost of confidence whenever I need it…maybe I've been taking that for granted."

"Oh cake batter, I don't perceive such a thing. Can't recall a single instance when I felt your love or appreciation were ever lacking. You're everything I could ever want in a daughter, and you remind me all the time why this is so." He kissed the top of her head, making her smile softly.

"You really are the best dad any girl could ask for. I love you."

"I love you too, Princess." He frowned. "Ahh, I'm sorry, can't call you that anymore. I keep forgetting."

She scoffed loudly. "Says who?! I'll always be your princess, remember? Being queen doesn't change that a bit. And it never will."

He grinned back. "Happy to hear that."

They sat huddled on the couch for a long, long time in comfortable silence. Eventually, Poppy slid back into their previous discussion. "So…what should I do?"

"About Branch or your mother's tradition?"

"…erm…both?"

"Well do you still want to do the routine?"

"Absolutely! If I don't do it, I'd be letting everyone down. Especially you, and Mom. Not to mention my friends are helping me with putting the other pieces in place, like the music and what I'll wear and—"

"Poppy, I'm not asking on behalf of anyone but you. Never mind what the rest of us want. Your friends are an understanding bunch, and I'll be proud of you no matter what you decide. What do _you_ want?"

"…I…" She faltered, teeth nibbling away at her wobbly lower lip. "I don't know..." She exhaled heavily through her nose. "Right now I really just wanna see Branch…but I don't think he wants to see me. And I'm still a little mad at him, to be honest."

He nodded. "You have good reason to be. It isn't right to ask someone to stop doing something that makes them happy. Or to lash out at them when they refuse. That's not right either, and I won't defend him on those grounds. All I'm saying is try to look at this situation from his point of view. He's scared to see you keep doing something that could very well have cost you your life. It's understandable he'd be worried. And if he broke down and admitted that he's so scared of losing you, to the point it's troubling him in nightmares and causing him to lose sleep over it, then he loves you more than you may realize. And when you love like that, it's with all your heart and soul, Poppy."

She nodded back. "Yea...I still don't know how to make amends though..." She groaned and covered her face, hands balling into fists. "You know I really didn't know what all would come with being in love, but I never thought it would be this complicated."

Her father chuckled. "Sometimes it can be, but that's because you're not in it by yourself. When you're in love with someone, you're growing alongside each other, and you're putting aside your wants and needs to see them be happy. And that can be hard. At first. But the more you come to see that it's not 'you and I', but 'we', then compromise comes just a little easier, and you figure out how important it is to grow together through the bad to embrace the good that comes after. Like the first signs of spring beyond that very last snowfall."

Poppy beamed and hugged him tight, hoping she would inherit a fraction of his wisdom and insight as she got older.

Peppy patted her back. "Just give Branch some space, even if it's the last thing you might want to do. That's my advice. And then when he's had some time to cool down, you can talk through all this and hopefully come to an agreement about the tradition, if you still want to bring it back this year."

Poppy was just about to answer him, when a sudden knock came at the door.

"Hold that thought," the pink troll said before hopping down and skipping away. She opened the door to see Suki standing on the other side, ready with a relaxed smile and a wave, despite being somewhat out of breath. "Heya Pops, been looking all over for you! Satin and Chenille wanted me to come find you and tell you that your dress is all finished! They want you to come over and try it on as soon as possible." She side-stepped and waved over to Peppy. "Uh, you're welcome to come too, sir. Everyone's already over there."

Poppy turned back to her father. "Will you come, Dad? Please? I want you to see it too."

"Oh I'd love to come along! I need to stretch these old legs of mine anyways. Just let me grab my coat." He shuffled to the hall closet and shrugged it on, buttoning it as he walked back over. Poppy fetched his boots and eagerly helped him step into them. "We're right behind you, Suki," said Peppy.

Suki grinned widely. "Heck to the yea! Let's go!"

[]

As Suki had said, the rest of the Snack Pack members were waiting for them at the twins' pod when the trio arrived. Once warm greetings were passed around, Satin and Chenille led Poppy into the changing area: a large corner of the main room hidden behind massive paneled curtains and a wall of mosaic dividers.

When the twins sashayed back out shortly after, both their faces gleamed with hopeful pride. They motioned to Poppy, who pushed the curtains apart and walked under the arch created by their hair.

Her friends all gasped aloud as she stepped into view.

"Ohhhh. My. God," Smidge whispered.

"See, Mr. D? I told you she'd look so stunning we'd barely believe it." Biggie spoke in hushed awe, his free hand pressed to his face. Mr. Dinkles mewed with great enthusiasm from the crook of his other arm.

"Just when we thought our girl couldn't get any prettier," said Suki, expression filled with fondness.

Guy Diamond's jaw dropped. " _Look_ at how she spa-aaa-a-aa-a-aaarrrrkles! I mean really, will you just look at her?!" he marveled. "I daresay her shine could put _me_ to shame in that glittery little number! And those jewels! Be still my illuminant, sputtering little hea-a-a-aaa-a-arrttt!"

Cooper whistled. "Wow Poppy, you look like a flower made of stars! A flower-star! No! A star-flower! Yep! That's exactly what you are!" Fuzzbert, who was spectating from up on Cooper's back, expressed his agreement to such a statement.

The twins helped Poppy up onto the circular platform surrounded by a set of full-length mirrors, fluffing up the petals of the skirt's top layer.

"Anything poking you or feel uncomfortable?" asked Satin.

"Does the fit feel secure?" Chenille inquired. "We can adjust it. Take it in at the waistline, or loosen the cuffs on the wrists if they're too tight or anything."

Poppy shook her head. "No, it feels just right." She turned and held the skirt out, admiring how the petals billowed and flowed as she let the fabric fall back in place. The subtle sparkle trailing across the petals complimented the shimmer of the jewels on her neck and wrists brilliantly. "I can't even get over how beautiful it is. It's everything I was hoping for." She smiled at them. "Thank you girls."

The sisters celebrated by partaking in a victory hip-bump with one another. "You're welcome!" they cheered.

Poppy looked to her father. "Dad? What do you think? Does it look okay on me?"

Peppy's eyes had started to go a little glassy, the sweetest of smiles blossoming across his face. "You look so much like your mother, Poppy." He drew in an unsteady breath, a hand against his heart.

"So you like it?"

"Oh yes, very much so." He walked up and wrapped one of his hands around hers. "I know Primrose would love it too."

A swell of rousing emotion overtook Poppy and made her feel lighter than air as she so lovingly grinned down at him.

"Okay, our turn!" Biggie proclaimed in airy sing-song.

"Yes please, before we all start ugly crying," Guy insisted, having trouble keeping an even voice tone.

Poppy and Peppy looked over as Biggie, Guy, Smidge, Cooper, and Fuzzbert made their way over. Each one with a hand on a small wooden chest. And in Fuzzbert and Cooper's case, a foot.

"We weren't going to let Suki and the twins have all the fun, so we made you something to wear with your dress!" Biggie shared.

Suki crossed her arms and leaned against a sewing table. "Yea I pitched in a little but it was mostly hands off for me. Sorry I can't give you my contribution until closer to the big night. Still needs some work." She winked. "Just have to wait a little longer to hear how awesome it sounds."

Poppy glanced from Suki to the others, all of them looking like they were going to implode into piles of confetti.

"Well go on then!" Guy prompted. "Open it!"

She unfastened the latch and pushed the lid back. Inside was a tiara embellished with gems and other precious stones the same color of her dress. The headpiece's band was made of an elegant silver with a swirl design on each end.

"You guys _made_ this for me?"

Guy nodded vigorously. "You bet we did, Gorgeous!"

There was no stopping Biggie's excited grinning. "We scoured our collections for the stones, and checked with Satin and Chenille to make sure they all matched."

"Color coordination really is everything," Guy assured with another string of small nods. "Biggie was in charge of gathering what we had, and I sifted through them to make sure we only used the most refined stones."

"I built the band," said Smidge. "It was a lot harder than I thought it'd be, and I may have raged a little and destroyed the first couple of bases. But this one turned out great. Third time's a charm, or whatever they say."

Cooper tapped his front feet in glee. "And I melded the stones to it! And Fuzz was on blueprints and basic construction plans. He _really_ knows his accessories." Without looking back at him, Cooper held up a front foot. "High-foot, boy," he said, and Fuzzbert knocked one of his stubby feet against it.

Satin and Chenille took the liberty of helping Poppy put the tiara on, situating it so that each of the swirled ends rested atop her ears.

"And see this part here," said Chenille, tugging at an elastic band that went around the back of Poppy's head. "This will make it stay in place. It's also reinforced with those little comb pieces under the frame. Biggie was concerned about it flying off in the middle of a jump, so we put our heads together to come up with a solution. But that was the only help we supplied on it." She held up two fingers. "Troll's honor."

Satin tested the elastic and restyled Poppy's hair around the new accessory before clapping her hands and squealing. "There! That was the finishing touch!" she gushed. "I'd say it's perfect now, wouldn't you?"

Poppy looked at her reflection in the mirror. She wanted to say that it was. It almost was. It was so so close to that.

"I seriously can't thank you enough, all of you. For putting all this time and work in, just because you wanted to do something nice for me. I don't know what I did to deserve friends as wonderful as you. I wish I had something to give you in return."

"Our gift is to see you happy, Poppy love," Guy replied.

"I am. I really am. Thank you all so much."

The group of friends shared furtive glances.

"…are you certain?" asked the glitter troll, eyebrows raising just a tad.

"Yea be honest," said Smidge. "Don't you try pulling the puffalo wool over our eyes. We know you too well for that."

Biggie put a finger to his chin. "Your lips say you're happy, but your eyes are saying something rather...unhappy..."

"What? No! I mean it, you don't know how much I love what you've done for me. I'm completely overjoyed!"

"….but?" her friends all prompted.

"What do you mean 'but'? I'm totally fine! Ecstatic, actually!"

"Poppy. Cut the act," said Suki. "We're your best friends. We know when something's got you down."

Anxiously, she wrestled her hands together. "It's not the dress, or the tiara! They're both incredible and I adore you for making them! And I'm gonna keep them forever." Her face fell, eyes dropping to her toes peeking out under the hem of the dress. "It's…just…i-it's just that…"

"That someone's missing?" Satin guessed with a knowing smile.

Poppy stared down at her. "What?"

"We might can help with that," Chenille offered, displaying the same knowing smile as her sister. The two strolled over to a door on the other side of the room, opening it wide.

Poppy's heart fluttered wildly in her chest as from around the door, Branch appeared. He was wearing a plain long-sleeved shirt and brown pants.

Everyone stepped back to let him through. When he reached the platform that Poppy still stood on, he stopped to look up at her.

He seemed to be in much better shape than the night they fought. No dark circles under his eyes or crazed hair standing up on end, or never-ending terror in his gaze.

"Hi," he said.

"…hi," she mumbled back.

Deep azure eyes roamed over the sight before him. "Poppy, you look…too stunning for words."

She peeked at him from beneath her lashes, hands brushing at the flowy fabric covering her legs. "Thank you…you…you look good, too. Have a more restful sleep last night?"

"Yea. I'm feeling a lot better. And everything's much clearer to me."

"Oh," she smiled lightly. "That's…good..." Her fingers toyed nervously with a strand of her hair. "I'm glad you're better."

He stepped up, joining her on the platform. It was really only meant for one, so they had to stand close to share the space.

"I'm here to apologize."

"Oh Branch, no, you don't have to—"

"No, I do. I never should've called you selfish. I said something in anger that I didn't mean, and it was wrong and I feel awful about it. You're not selfish. To tell you the truth, I don't think you have a selfish bone in your body. But I stand by the other part. You are stubborn, and that's part of the reason why I love you as much as I do. But it was wrong of me to ask you to stop doing something that makes you happy just because my fears were getting in the way."

"I was wrong too," she rushed to admit in return, frantically babbling away. "I shouldn't have downplayed your fears the way I did. I know that hurt you and I'm so sorry. And I'm sorry if I made you feel like I didn't care about you being scared of losing me, because that couldn't be farther from the truth; I do care. I care just as much about your happiness and the things that upset or worry you, and I need to do a better job of showing it."

"But I never should've tried to convince you to give up skating. Looking back, I realize that walking away from this whole renewal of your mom's tradition would've been me giving up on you, and us, and I don't want that. At all." A hand nervously reached into his pants pocket and he pulled out a folded piece of paper. "So, if you'll let me, I'd like to apologize, again. But I didn't think asking for your forgiveness was enough this time, so…I wrote you something. I'd like to read it to you, if that's okay?"

She was too shocked to speak, barely managing a slow, deliberate nod of her head.

He licked his lips and took a shaky breath as he unfolded the paper and read aloud what was written.

* * *

" _There's a girl in my life_

 _She evokes something in me I've never known_

 _And she doesn't know how desperately_

 _I long to call her my own"_

-o-

" _Her laughter rings out like bells_

 _Her smile bright and brilliant, like daybreak's sun_

 _Her magenta eyes shimmer like the rarest jewels_

 _Her beauty endless, second to none"_

-o-

" _Each song she sings an entrancing symphony_

 _Each dance a sinuous work of art_

 _She doesn't know that every chance I'm given, to watch or to listen_

 _She takes with her another fragment of my heart"_

-o-

" _Her touch softer than the purest silk_

 _Her kiss ignites a fire within my blood_

 _It rages like the sweetest storm_

 _And I feel all the passion as it floods"_

-o-

" _I'm enswathed in ethereal contentment_

 _By her every encouraging word that's spoken_

 _She doesn't know that each moment spent with her_

 _Makes me feel less and less broken"_

-o-

" _I seek refuge in her embrace_

 _Her arms always opened wide_

 _She doesn't know that all the hugs she's drawn me into_

 _Have caused a permanent shift in my soul's very tide"_

-o-

" _She dreams of a future filled with happiness and warmth_

 _And someone to stand by her side, as her king_

 _She doesn't know how I want to be that someone_

 _More than absolutely anything"_

-o-

" _I want to be her song and happy place_

 _The way she's been for me_

 _To be the one she runs to_

 _When she needs the remedy"_

-o-

" _I want to wake up beside her every day_

 _And fall asleep next to her each night_

 _Spend my life laughing and dancing_

 _Within the glow of her radiant light"_

-o-

" _I want to share things with her_

 _That I never thought I could have before_

 _Things she's made me feel worthy of_

 _This girl that I adore"_

-o-

" _I ache to convey this all to her_

 _And maybe one day, I'll find a way_

 _Because, maybe, if she knew,_

 _Then just maybe, she'd let me stay"_

-o-

* * *

As he folded the paper and tucked it back in his pocket, sniffling could be heard all around the room.

"Oh blast it all," Guy muttered, fingers catching the tears under his red-rimmed eyes. "And I was holding it together so well!"

Smidge had her back to everyone, though it seemed pointless, as her sniffles were undoubtedly the loudest.

Silent tears of joy streamed down Poppy's own face as she threw her arms around Branch, feeling him return the hug just as tightly as she murmured adoringly in his ear: "She knows. And she wants you to stay. More than anything."

"Forgive me, Poppy?"

"Way past done already. Forgive me too?"

"You never needed to ask."

Only after brushing his nose against her forehead and stroking her hair did he pull back, gripping her waist. "There's one more thing."

"More?" she laughed, wiping what tears she could away. "I don't know if I can handle more today. But I'll try."

He hopped down to the floor. "Just wait right there." He went back into the room he'd come from, the twins hot on his heels.

When he emerged again, he was wearing an entirely new set of clothes. The pants he wore resembled a set of regular black slacks.

The top was a collared button-down shirt. Its fabric showcased colors with a familiar-looking gradient effect. It started off in light lavender with a gradual fade into powder blue.

It matched Poppy's dress beautifully.

As if they were made for each other.

"You got an outfit to go with mine?"

"There's more to it than that," he answered. "I'd really like to meet you halfway on this, and I didn't have a clue how to do that, until I saw the picture you brought to show me of your dress before the twins had finished working on it."

Chenille fussed over the bejeweled collar of Branch's shirt, looking over her shoulder at a very astonished Poppy. "He came banging at our door in the middle of the night waving that picture in our faces and begging for us to make him something to coordinate with you."

Satin nodded. "We've been hard at work on it ever since. It still needs some touching up." She gave a sheepish grin. "It was kind of a rush project."

Biggie chimed in next. "So then the twins invited us over the next day so Branch could explain what happened and what he intended to do to make it right."

Smidge folded her arms and smirked. "I was gonna pound him down into a stump, but then he told us all about his plan. So I spared him. Good thing he spilled his guts." Her fierce smirk smoothed out into a more sincere smile. "He gets to keep his respect points. This time."

As the others laughed, Branch reached out for Poppy's hands, and she grabbed hold, their fingers interlacing.

"Poppy I don't want to keep you from doing this. I made a promise to you back at Plum's, to spend my life making up for the past, and I fully intend to keep that promise. I was reminded of that when I read your card, which was beautiful, by the way. So, I'm asking you, as the troll who's completely in love with you, to not go back on the ice, unless I'm out there with you too. We started this together and I want to finish it together. So…what do you say we make this a routine for two?"

"You…you mean…you skate _with_ me? Like, as in, as a pair? Both of us?"

"Yes. Both of us. You did mention the idea that one afternoon you came to have lunch with me. We'd have to change some of the moves up, make some adjustments here and there, but we could do it. We still have time."

Her grin lit up her entire face, and then some. "You'd really wanna do that?"

"I would. But don't feel obligated just because I'm wearing this. It's your family tradition, and your vision, and I'm not trying to overstep any—"

It was not in the cards for him to finish that sentence. But he did yelp as Poppy jumped down and tackled him to the floor. As he lay on his back in surprise, she proceeded to pepper his whole face with kisses. Leaving the poor defenseless troll a blushing flustered mess underneath her.

"I-is that a yes?" he asked as she kept right on. Nose, cheeks, temple, jaw, forehead, lips, back to nose.

"That's a yes," everyone else replied in immediate unison, voices coated either in laughter or crying-induced hoarseness.

"Yes," she said between kisses. "Yes. Yes. Yes yes YES!" She gazed down at him with a sigh of bliss as she rubbed her nose against his. "Holy hair I missed you."

His words came in a whisper of relief that caressed the base of her ear. "Likewise, Angel."

 _This_ was the finishing touch.

By devotion's thread, their very lives were being woven, into something stronger, and closer, than ever before. Something that couldn't be unraveled or torn apart at the seams.

Something everlasting.

* * *

 _The chapter's title can be interpreted both on a literal and a figurative level. I hope that comes through by the last scene. I also hope the poem was enjoyable. Branch is quite the weaver of words, eh?_

 _If I stick to my plan, next update should be the final chapter. And knowing me, it'll probably be another long one._

 _Thanks for reading!_

 _And please please pleeeease go give Dari_Draws lots of love on Instagram if you have an account there. For she made this absolutely breathtaking piece of art that goes along with this chapter's ending scene. Thank you Dari!_

 _p/B4P2GhwF_dq/_


	11. Chapter 11 The Reason

_Here it is, finally. The closing chapter. I can't believe I actually finished what I started. And before Christmas too! This is a really proud moment. Some tears may have been shed._

 _I added another song in for a scene in this chapter. I didn't stumble upon it until a few weeks after finishing up with chapter 10. But let me tell ya, it's perfect. When you get to the song, or even right after it, I strongly encourage you to go give it a listen, as it really fits the scene so well and also because it's just a really beautiful song, that I do not claim any ownership of whatsoever. But I did alter one tiny word, and you'll know why when you see it._

 _It's called_ _ **It's You**_ _and it's by_ _ **Westlife.**_

 _There's also a very small homage to_ _ **Underneath the Tree**_ _by_ _ **Kelly Clarkson**_ _near the end. Which I also do not own, but believe it or not, that was one of the songs to originally inspire this thing, so I had to put it in there somewhere. The lyrics are different but sung to the same tune._

 _Also, I wanted to give a shoutout to_ _ **Party Planner Preston**_ _, who's been promoting this story on his Youtube channel and Instagram, and wow, I'm reeeeally not worthy of the praise he's given this story but I'm honored by it regardless and I just wanted to say thank you, from the very bottom of my heart. I've never had someone do that for me or my work before, so all your support has been incredible and I'm endlessly grateful for all the posts, videos, and kind and extremely detailed feedback you've given. I still can't believe someone out there liked this enough to do all of that. So thank you once again!_

 _I'm really looking forward to the live readthrough (which I also recommend you check out on his channel when it's up) but I don't know how far into it I'll get before I start blushing and hiding behind pillows._

 _Lastly, thanks to everyone who's been keeping up with this. I may have another surprise in store, but I'll get to that when I post the epilogue. Yes, there's one of those, as I still have some loose ends I still need to tie up. But it's already written and edited, so you won't have to wait long on it like this update._

 _Congrats on getting to the end of this great big author's note. Have a cupcake. :)_

* * *

Chapter 11 The Reason

* * *

Less than a week before the big night, Poppy and Branch were finalizing their new routine. Some parts had to be altered completely, others were added to integrate moves they could perform together. But Poppy would still get to incorporate her axel and her mother's signature spin that would serve as the finale. And they'd found a way to involve Branch for that part too.

Now that he wouldn't just be watching from afar, but would be out there to perform the routine alongside her, it really lessened the stressful aura that had wrapped itself around this situation.

Because he wasn't just her teacher any longer. Now he was her partner too.

Throughout the week, the two spent hours upon hours practicing. And both had more fun on the ice than they ever had before.

Currently, Poppy was standing near the middle of the lake, with Branch facing her just a few feet away.

"So when I come back down, you're gonna catch me and then we'll go right into the layback spin?" Poppy asked him.

"That's what I was thinking. You up for it?"

"Definitely," she answered, grinning as she slid backward.

He grinned back, looping back to ensure he had enough space himself. "Then get ready."

"I'm always ready!"

They flew forward, zipping across the ice like they'd been launched from a slingshot, heading right for each other. And when she'd gotten close enough to him, Branch reached out and lifted her up. He kept a secure hold on her back as he lowered her back down. Then he took hold of her hands, stepping back to pull her into the spin. They twirled and twirled, and as they did, Poppy tossed her head back, her laughter filling the air.

When they'd slowed to a stop, he pulled her to him until their noses grazed. "Now what?" she asked breathlessly. "What comes next?"

"Well," said Branch, a fingertip trailing down the back of her ear. "I have a few ideas…not all of them completely relevant to the routine…or appropriate for an audience…"

Snorting, she gently shoved him. "Speaking of, it looks like we're about to have company out here, so you might wanna behave yourself."

"Hm?" Confused, Branch turned to see for himself. Approaching from the path was a small group of trolls: two couples and their little ones. One of the older trolls was Marble, and he held a large box. Beside him was his wife Holly and their little girl. The other couple had two young boys chasing each other in circles around their parents, one looking to be about the same age as the daughter of the first couple.

"Marble! Holly! Hi!" Poppy greeted them before waving to the other couple. "Hemlock, Floret! So good to see you guys!"

Holly, a light green troll with red hair, waved to her. "Hi Queen Poppy! Is it okay for us to be here right now?"

"Oh of course!" Poppy gladly assured. "We're just practicing our routine, gotta get as much time as we can in while we still have it. But I don't mind some extra faces on the lake while we practice!" She suddenly stopped, looking back to Branch. "I mean, as long as you don't?"

Branch gave her a relaxed smile, shaking his head. "I don't mind at all. The lake's for everyone to enjoy. They're just as welcome here as we are." He beckoned them over. "Come on down!"

Beaming at him and taking Branch's hand, Poppy skated toward the group. As they got closer, Poppy greeted the children. "Hi Fern! Your hair's really grown out, it's beautiful!" She waved to the boys. "And hello there, Spruce!" She gasped. "And little Chestnut, I think I see some new freckles on your cheeks! And I'm quite certain you've both gotten taller since the last time I saw you."

"With extra height comes extra energy apparently," Floret sighed. "They can't sit still for a second!"

Poppy grinned. "Oh that's just boys for ya. Always on the go!"

As they began to catch up, Holly made her way towards Branch, her daughter at her side. She put her hands on the young troll's shoulders and crouched down. "Our Fern has a question for you, Branch."

"For me?" He and Poppy exchanged a quick curious look before he skated forward. "I may not be able to give you the answer you're looking for, but I can try."

Her mother encouraged her to walk closer. The young troll's tiny feet crunched through the snow, until she reached the very edge of the lake. She put her hands behind her back and kicked her feet, almost nervously. "Mister Branch?" she said, in the sweetest little voice. "My Mommy said you teached Queen Poppy how to skate. Did you?"

He began to smile. "Yes, I did."

She swung her shoulders a bit, touching a stubby finger to her lips. "Can you teach me, too? Please?"

His eyebrows rose in surprise and he chuckled. "Oh…you want to be my next student, do you?"

She nodded excitedly. Behind her, Spruce was running up. "Me too!" he said. "Teach me too. Please, Mister Branch?"

"Me thwee!" his little brother cried, waving both his arms high in the air.

Branch bent down, placing his hands on his knees. "I'd love to teach you…but there's one thing missing." He pointed to his skates. "You gotta have a pair of these first."

"That's why I brought these with me," Marble explained, setting the box down and opening it. Inside were dozens of skates of all different sizes. "Don't know if Poppy told you, but ever since you two started this big ice skating thing, I've had troll after troll tell me that they want to get out on the ice too, but no one knew how to make ice skates. So I talked to Peppy, who explained the process for making them, and Poppy lent me her pair so I could get an idea for how to sketch up designs." He shrugged. "They aren't made of crystal, but I think they're nice all the same."

Branch's gaze roamed from the box full of skates to the hopeful faces of the three trollings. He rubbed the back of his neck hesitantly. "I've…I've only ever taught Poppy though…I dunno if I'd…be all that good at teaching anyone else."

Her gloved hand came to rest on his shoulder, making him look up at her.

"Sure you would," she told him. "And I can help you."

"Really?"

"Yea! We could co-teach!"

The warm glow in her eyes was all the nudge he needed. Bending back down, he nodded to the kids. "Okay, you find a pair in that box that fits you just right and Queen Poppy and I will teach you how to skate."

The kids cheered, their parents already sifting through the box, eagerly searching for the pair each trolling would need.

Hemlock equipped his two sons with their skates. "Think you could teach us too?" the peach colored troll asked Branch.

"Sure thing," he answered. "We could have a session with the kids and then work you four in, or any of you that want to try."

The parents all looked very appreciative, watching on as Branch and Poppy got each trolling out onto the ice. The boys wobbled a bit on their skates, but quickly got their balance as Queen Poppy took each one by the hand. They hugged her legs, peeking around to see the last trolling step onto the ice.

Fern lowered one blade against the ice, but after both met the slick surface, she flailed, looking very scared as she tried to right herself. "I-I'm gonna fall!" she whimpered.

"No you won't," said Branch in a gentle tone as he held out his hand. "I won't let you. Just take my hand. And trust me."

Still whimpering, Fern reached out and grabbed hold, calming down as she was able to adjust herself, balance improving as she started to smile.

"Good," said Branch. "Now just keep holding on. You can try it on your own when you're ready. But until you're ready, I'll stay right here with you and won't let go, okay?"

She nodded, clinging to his arm thankfully. "Okay."

Slow and steady, Branch guided the young girl around the lake, and Poppy did the same with the two boys. "Hold on tight," she told them, the boys giggling as they stumbled but neither fell down.

Before long, Fern had gained enough confidence to go from clinging to Branch's side, to holding onto his wrist, and then just his fingers. She started moving in a circle, and Branch let her lead while still supporting her.

Eventually, she was brave enough to let go, and she skated on her own. In a very slow, short straight line.

"Hey look at you, Fern!" Branch praised. "You did it! You're skating! All on your own!"

Pleased as party punch, the little trolling was overcome with ecstatic laughter and skated back up to him. He took her hands again and the two spun around, the world around them a blur. She giggled and squealed, bright golden eyes sparkling with mirth.

Seeing the little girl light up before his eyes, to be able to bring her happiness, through such a simple act, had more than a few of his heartstrings strumming. Even the ones speckled with scars.

"Mommy! Daddy! Look! I'm skating!" Fern exclaimed, waving to her parents as she skated by.

"Go Fern!" said Marble. "That's my girl!"

"Looking good out there, Sweetie!" Holly called.

Her parents hugged each other, both looking proud as ever.

Meanwhile, Poppy was teaching the boys what she knew. "And you move your feet outward, not inward. Push off, and glide. Push, and glide." As she taught, they listened intently and mimicked her movements. In no time at all, they had learned to maneuver on their skates all by themselves. "There you go, you've got it!" Poppy applauded. "Wooo! Fantastic you two!"

The children weren't masters right away, and still stumbled, and their movements were awkward and alternated between slow and hasty. And sometimes they still needed Branch or Poppy's help when they fell or started to get scared again. But they were skating on their own more than not, and for a group of kids who had just learned how, both their teachers felt they were already off to an exceptional start.

They'd even been able to work in some basic introductory lessons for the four adults as well.

"Feet a little bit more apart," Branch instructed Marble. "There ya go," he nodded. "Much better."

Marble rocked forward a bit, but then steadied and slid forward. "Thank you for doing this," he said. "Ever since Fern heard about what you were doing, it's all she's talked about. I can build a pair of skates, but I didn't know the first thing about, you know, actually skating on them. So I never could've shown her how. You don't know what it means to me and Holly, for you to share your gift with her, and all of us."

Branch smiled. "It's no problem. Really." His eyes wandered back to what Marble had brought. "That's quite a big box you've got over there. You make all those skates in it?"

"Oh yea, but that's just one of dozens. We were in the middle of delivering pairs friends have already asked for, and then Holly decided we should make a stop here, see if you might be between practice sessions. I've had so many trolls ask me for a pair after word got around that I was making new ones, I figured, why not just make enough for the whole village?"

"You mean enough for _everyone_ to have a pair?"

"Enough for everyone."

"Wow," Branch answered, eyes wide. "Well, that was really kind of you."

"It's kind of you to do what you're doing right now." Marble had to chuckle as Branch was tugged away by the children, who insisted he had to join them in a new game they'd just made up.

As Hemlock and Marble started skating up and the down center lake, Poppy Floret and Holly lingered by the bank, watching the scene unfolding just ahead.

"You know, I never thought I'd say this," Holly began, "but Branch is actually _really_ good with kids."

"Right?!" Floret remarked. "It's kind of crazy. He used to be so distant, but look at him over there. I wasn't even sure he liked kids, but that's definite dad material right there if I've ever seen it."

Poppy watched too, heart filled to the brim with warmth as Branch let the kids chase him, moving at a slow pace so they could catch him, and falling over in dramatic fashion after they pounced. "Noooo! You got me!" he lamented. "Troll down! I surrender!" The kids were laughing uncontrollably as they climbed up to hug him when he sat back up. The smallest jumped onto his chest and he dramatically fell back down, making the three all burst into fits of laughter once more.

After brushing himself off, he then had the trollings form a chain, the four of them ricocheting from one direction to the next as they all held on.

But with Chestnut being the youngest and not quite as nimble as the other kids yet, Branch kept a secure grip on his hand, making sure he didn't topple over. But he wanted him to be able to get something out of this too, so at times he would hoist him up and spin around with him. Just like his father used to do with him.

Fern and Spruce skated around Branch, trying to catch one another as they sang bits and pieces of various songs, never making it past the first verse before switching to the next.

When they reached their parents, the boys nearly knocked their mom over coming in for a landing, and Fern skidded to stop carefully in front of her mother. "Mom, Mister Branch is the bestest skating teacher ever!"

Holly glanced over at him with a grateful smile. "Yea, we've been watching you. Looks like you were having a pretty good time out there."

"Yea," said Fern, but her attention was on Spruce. She'd caught him staring at her before he ducked back behind his mother, blushing.

The adults all found great amusement in the sight, laughing quietly with one another.

Branch came over to join Poppy, quickly picking up on how everyone seemed to be smiling at him. "What?" he asked.

"We were just talking about how great you are with the kids," Poppy said.

He gave her a dismissive look. "I'm just teaching them to skate, like they asked me to." He shrugged. "That's all."

"I think you're doing a little more than that." She winked, a sparkle stirring in her gaze. "That track record of yours just picked up some stellar marks."

His ears flicked back bashfully. "I-it's nothing," he said, looking away.

Her gentle touch guided his head back so that his gaze reunited with hers. "No," she said. "It's way more than nothing, Branch."

Before he could get any more embarrassed, little Chestnut started tugging at his coat.

"Skate more," he demanded.

"More, you say?"

Chestnut's father scooped him up. "I dunno, little guy. We really should be getting you back home now. It's just about your naptime. And then I have to finish delivering these skates."

"No!" Chestnut's rebuttal came in a grumble and he shook his head. "No go. No nap, Daddy. Not…" He yawned, rubbing at one of his eyes with a frustrated grunt. "Not sleepy."

"Not sure they're totally sold on your argument, bud," Branch said, ruffling the trolling's hair.

"Not sleep!" He whined, desperately reaching for Branch as he tried to wriggle free. "Not sleep! Not go, Daddy! No!"

A clever idea sprouted in Branch's mind and he held out his arms. "Hey hey, I know of something else really fun we could do, instead of napping," he said, winking to Chestnut's parents.

With an 'okay, humor us' smirk, Hemlock passed his young son to Branch, who held him against his shoulder.

"It's something all of us can do," Branch added once he'd caught the attention of the other kids. "But we'll need help from a new friend of mine. Would you like to meet him?"

With curious stares, the children all nodded their heads, and Branch whistled.

And down from the treetops swooped a creature the two troll families had never seen before. He hovered in the air a moment, and then landed on all fours in the snow, flapping his marvelous white wings. He chattered quietly to the new faces, hopping over to Branch through the snow and lowering his head. Branch approached and rubbed the fur between the creature's eyes.

"What…is that?" Marble asked, gawking up at the mysterious being.

"It's a quinlyr," Branch answered. "They're gentle animals who live off of fruit and grass. They do chase the occasional critter, but trolls aren't a part of their diet. So don't worry." He smiled. "Poppy and I made friends with this one."

"So…it's safe?" Holly asked.

"Completely. I wouldn't let one anywhere near me or the village if they were dangerous to us at all. I've spent enough time with this one to know that he's just here for my berry stock. And sometimes a good scratch behind the ears."

"Can we pet him?" Fern asked, awestruck where she stood.

"Go right ahead," Branch said to her. "His name's Ripple."

Fern walked up to him, and the quinlyr chattered, fluttering his great white wings.

"Hi Ripple," she said, reaching out to him.

Ripple snuffled at her palm, staying very still as he took in her scent. Then he dropped his front legs and nuzzled and licked away at her face. She squealed and wrapped her arms around his muzzle. "He's so soft. Like a big blankie that licks you!"

Spruce hugged Ripple's chest, cheek laid upon his furry mane. Chestnut, still in Branch's arms, uttered an intrigued little sound and reached out. "Blankie," he repeated. The quinlyr snorted, cold air escaping his nostrils as he purred and nudged at Chestnut's hand, making him giggle loudly. "Blankie nice."

"Blankie will take us for a ride, if you want to go on one," Branch offered. The young trolls all sounded very eager to take this supposed ride. He noticed their parents casting worried looks at Ripple's giant wings.

"Don't worry," he said again. "We won't do any flying, if you don't want us to."

Then he caught sight of the disappointment on little Fern's face and looked back at the four adults. "Or, if we did, we could just…stay really low to the ground, go slow?"

That was a compromise the parents could agree to.

When they'd all taken their skates off, Branch fetched the set of his reins from his bag and equipped Ripple, who obediently stood in place, even if he didn't like this part.

It wasn't so bad; he got his berries when all was said and done.

"I'll go too," Poppy volunteered. "That way we can all ride together!"

"Never put five on his back before," Branch said as he helped her and the older kids up.

"It's really more like two and three-quarters. He can handle it." Leaning over from her perch on the quinlyr's back, she petted his side, cooing to him in baby-talk. "Can't you, you big strong cutie pie?"

A whistling noise emanated from Ripple's muzzle as he raised his head proudly, tail swishing in wide arcs as his paws made a kneading action in the snow.

After getting Fern and Spruce up onto his back, Poppy took her spot, letting them sit in her lap.

Chestnut was getting sleepier by the minute. Branch could tell, from the way he burrowed into his neck, trying to get comfortable, little eyes having the hardest time staying open. But he tried his best to stay awake, as Branch held him close to his chest in the crook of his arm, gripping the reins. "Okay pal, once around the lake. Let's go, you ready?"

At the signal his rider gave when he clicked his tongue, Ripple flapped his wings and leapt into the air. Branch guided him to stay low to the ground, easing back on the reins to make sure they maintained an easy pace.

"Whoa!" Fern exclaimed. She and Spruce held on to Poppy, gawking in amazement as they glided through the open air.

Branch didn't try any fast maneuvers, keeping to a slow smooth course over the lake's border. But he did steer them up into a couple of aerial dips.

The kids loved it. That was clear by the way they clung to Branch's side, squealing and laughing their little hearts out.

It had to be one of the cutest noises he'd ever heard.

When they got back to the spot where the four down below were waiting, Branch lowered Ripple back down into the snow.

Chestnut had fallen fast asleep, clutching at the scarf around Branch's neck, thumb tucked into his mouth.

Branch turned to his fellow passengers. "So, how was your first flight on the back of a real live quinlyr? Pretty cool, huh?"

"Really, really cool!" said Fern, sighing in wonderstruck as she fell back against Poppy, who caught her with a smile.

"Yea," Spruce nodded vigorously. "That was awesome!"

Branch smirked down at their youngest passenger. "Put your baby brother right to sleep. Guess he didn't find it so interesting."

They all laughed, but no one said much else until they were all back on the ground.

With the snoring toddler still in his arms, Branch walked over to his parents so he could pass him back to them.

He'd only gotten halfway when he was stopped by the two older trollings, who came charging at him from either side, hugging him as tight as they could.

He stopped still, staring down as they nuzzled into his coat. Little Fern beamed up at him. "Thank you, Mister Branch."

"Yea," said Spruce. "Thanks for taking us on your…quin-erm, how d'you say it again?"

"Quinlyr. The last part sounds like 'ear.' You know, one of these things," Branch said, tickling the reddish-orange lobe of Spruce's, making him cackle and promptly cover it.

"Thanks for teaching us how to skate too," Fern added. "Can we come skate with you tomorrow, learn some more stuff?"

"Yea, can we?!"

Branch knelt down with a smile. "If it's okay with your parents, it's okay with me. We'll be here, same time and place."

They hugged him again. "You're the best, Mister Branch," Fern said to him.

His gaze unfocused as a ray of warm light spread across his heart and he hugged them back.

The two kids untangled themselves from the hug and went over to thank Poppy as Chestnut's mother came over. "How did you know that would work?"

"I didn't," answered Branch. "I just know kids would usually rather have fun than take naps, so I figured if he was doing something fun, he wouldn't be so upset about falling asleep, if he happened to." Carefully gathering him up and holding him out to Floret, he shrugged sheepishly. "Thought it wouldn't hurt to try."

Chestnut stirred as he was being passed to his mother. He grunted and squinted up at Branch.

"Tell Mister Branch bye," his mother spoke softly.

With a tiny smile, he flapped his fingers sleepily. "Bye bye, Mis'ser Bwanch," he yawned, cuddling up to his mother. He was snoring again before his cheek ever met her shoulder.

The light he'd felt inside spread to every crevice of his heart, bursting it wide open. "Bye," he whispered, waving back.

She mouthed the words 'thank you' to Branch, rubbing the little one's back as her husband put an arm around her.

Later on, the two families said their goodbyes and left the lake, and then it was just Branch and Poppy again.

After watching them all go, Branch turned back around to face her. He frowned when he noticed the way Poppy was staring at him. It was an odd hodgepodge of smug, proud, and adoring. "What?" he asked.

"Hm?" she uttered innocently.

"Why are you looking at me like that?"

"Like what?"

He pointed at her face. "Like _that_."

"I'm not looking at you any certain way." Her skates were already back on and she was whirling and twirling around on the ice.

"Are too."

"Am not.

"Are too!"

"Am noooot!"

This back-and-forth kept on until one of them decided getting back to practice was a little higher in the rankings of priority.

[]

Near the week's end, Poppy asked Branch to come with her to visit a friend.

As Branch stared up at the pod entrance, it became instantly evident who they'd come to pay this visit to.

"Suki's? Why are we back at Suki's? She already let us listen to the composition piece. Wait, did she change it? Because we can't go back and alter the sequence now. We don't have time—"

"This is not about the composition piece. This is about something _we_ have to help _her_ with."

"Oh…but she didn't change it, did she? Because now I'm worried."

"She didn't change it, ya big worrywart. Calm yourself."

"I'm perfectly calm, thanks. I'd just like to know what we're doing here."

"I told you, we have to help her with something."

Smidge answered the door. "Oh good, you're here." As she led them inside, Branch looked around at the other members of the Pack sitting on the floor, talking and laughing as they tied ribbons on baskets filled with cookies shaped like stars, hearts, rainbows, snowflakes, candy canes, and more.

"He knows how big of a secret this is," Smidge said with a narrowed gaze. "Right?"

"I haven't told him anything yet. He still doesn't know what he's getting into."

Branch folded his arms. "But it would be nice to know."

Giggling, Poppy made a grand sweeping gesture with her arms. "Welcome to Suki's Secret Make and Munch night!"

"Uh, thanks…I'm still lost on the objective."

Poppy took him into the kitchen, where Biggie was helping Suki place a surprisingly large amount of pans on the counter, all with undecorated cookies. Then she filled him in on everything.

"Right around this time every year, Suki carries out her own kind of tradition, by giving each family in the village a batch of delicious cookies she makes herself. They go in those baskets, and then tomorrow night, we'll set them up at the Winter Welcoming Party, and every family will get to take their basket home. But it's a major secret, no one is supposed to know who the cookies are from. It's a pretty big job, so she enlisted us to decorate, but she makes the batter herself from scratch and rolls out all the dough. We frost and add the sprinkles and pieces of candy that go on top. And you're going to help this year. Any questions, before we get started?"

"No, but I'm not…I don't really…have a lot of experience with this."

"That's okay! They don't have to look like masterpieces. As long as effort and heart is put into it. Are you up to the task?"

He shrugged. "I…guess so. Do we just pick any color or—" He was reaching for a tube of frosting when Biggie rushed over. "Wait wait, stop!" he urged. "You have to take the oath first."

Branch's brows met in confusion. "The what?"

Poppy walked forward with him. "You have to take the oath to promise that you will keep what you know a secret. Suki doesn't want anyone to know she's ahead of the operation, because it makes it more special that way. To her."

Smidge grunted as she carried a recipe book over to Branch and held it out. "Hand on the book."

Feeling more than a little odd, he did as the small troll ordered, and Smidge placed her hand atop his, staring sternly up at him. "Do you, Branch, solemnly swear to uphold the secret of Suki's identity as founder of Make and Munch Night for as long as this yearly act of extreme selflessness continues to be carried out?"

"Sure."

"You have to say 'I swear.'"

His eyebrows knitted so closely together on his forehead that they almost formed a knot. "Fine. I swear."

"And do you promise to contribute to said selfless act to the best of your ability, while also refraining from revealing any information about your involvement or the involvement of any other trolls present?"

"I promise."

Smidge returned the book to the cupboard. "You may proceed with decorating."

Biggie clapped, patting at Mr. Dinkles, who mewed from a pocket on his apron. "Oh it _is_ exciting, isn't it?" he gushed to the worm as he put another pan of cookies into the oven to bake.

Suki came over to hug Branch. "Thanks for comin'. I kinda' got swamped this year so I'm really glad to have some extra help." She ushered him and Poppy over to a room right next to the kitchen.

Branch looked around the brightly colored room. "What's with all the board games?"

"It's for when I host game night!" She slid a hand across the corner of the wooden tabletop with a reverent smile. "Many an insane takedown took place at this table here. But tonight, it's dedicated to cookie decorating." Getting down to business, she started pointing everything out. "Okay, icing's there, sprinkles are over here, and everything else is in its own separate bowl, right here. You got your Blitzberry rope, sweet and tangy drops, jelly beans, peppermint shavings, chocolate chips, all that good stuff. Have at it! I'll be in the kitchen if you need anything."

Guy Diamond peeked around the corner. "Smidge, these ribbons aren't turning out ri-iii-i-i-i-iiii-iiiiiight. I need your help in here!" He ducked back around but then reappeared in half a second. "And we're running out of name tags!"

"We can just make more. Just wait, I'll come in there and show you," Biggie offered. Both he and Smidge took their aprons off and followed their glittery friend into the living room, leaving Poppy and Branch alone at their station.

As Poppy got started, Branch just stared in fascination at all the edible decorations at their disposal.

Poppy lightly bumped her hip against his, shaking him from his daze. "Hey, enough daydreaming, get to icing."

"With what color? There's too much going on here, I don't even know where I'm supposed to start."

Poppy snorted. "Oh boy." Shaking her head, she passed a tube of red frosting his way. "Here, let's go with a simple red. Cover the cookie and then the sprinkles go on top."

"What kind?"

"Hmmmm, how about rainbow? You can never go wrong with rainbow."

"Alright. Rainbow then." He pinched up a clump of sprinkles and began to meticulously place them one at a time.

" _What_. Are you doing?"

He glanced up to see her staring at him with an arched brow and a hand on her hip.

"Adding sprinkles. Like you told me to," he answered plainly.

Snickering, she guided his fingers to drop the sprinkles in a way that was less methodical and more random. "Here. Like this. When it comes to adding sprinkles, ya just gotta go for it," she told him.

Next she showed him how to use the piping tips to make little frosting flowers, squiggles, curlicues, and hearts. "Now don't squeeze too hard or you'll end up with one big glob. Light and easy."

After that she demonstrated how to use a toothpick to blend colors or to touch up finer details. She showed him how to make stripes, ruffles, grass, and how to use a fork to make a basket-weave effect.

It wasn't long before they'd both amassed a beautiful collection of cookies.

Poppy leaned over to inspect his work. "Nice job! That's some mighty fine layering work."

"Thank you," Branch answered, not looking up as he continued to ice the cookie's edges. "Your flower's a little messed up."

"Huh?" She looked down. "Where?"

"Riiiight…" He reached over and dipped his finger on one of her piped leaves, swiping it up and showing her with a sly little grin. "There."

Her jaw fell open. "Did…you…you just messed up my cookie!"

His grin grew a little wider. "Can you prove that?" he asked her, sucking the icing off his finger.

Huffing in disbelief, she countered with a crafty smile in return as she squeezed a handful of icing onto her palm. "Maybe not, but I can get you back for it."

"You don't have the guts."

No quip was needed as she tugged him forward by the collar of his shirt and rubbed icing all over his nose. "Oh yea?"

"How _dare_ you," he whispered, squeezing out a glob of icing and covering one side of her face.

With a tiny squeal, she backed away, grabbing up chocolate chips and running to the other side of the table, throwing one at him and ducking down.

He retaliated by snatching a fistful of jelly beans and chasing her around the table, lobbing them at her as she ran and ducked.

They laughed and laughed as they flicked sugary projectiles back and forth. Thinking fast, Branch then ran into the kitchen and 'borrowed' a bag of flour. Before Poppy knew what was going on, he had scooped out as much flour as he could in one go and aimed it directly at her face.

The flour exploded, her face completely covered in white powder. She shrieked and slapped at her cheeks, wiping it out of her eyes. "Ooooh you little sneak, it's on now," she grinned, lunging for the flour. But he took off running again. She picked back up with the chase, managing to catch up and reach around to confiscate some of the flour. Then she slipped around the table and launched flour rapid-fire back at him.

While this was going on, Guy and Smidge poked their heads into the room. "Oh my god, see," said Smidge, rolling her eyes. "We can't leave these two alone to do anything from now on."

Guy gave a click of his tongue and a shake of his head. "Should've known better."

Behind her, Suki was leaning against the wall. "Let 'em have their fun. I got plenty of flour left over." Smiling warmly, she watched on as sweet memories were being made here in her home. Camera in hand, she quickly snapped a picture. "This'll definitely be one for the photo album."

As they returned to their respective tasks, Poppy and Branch's flour war was winding down. They were almost completely splotched in white, and so were a few of the chairs. And the entire floor.

Heaving a tired chuckle, Branch set the bag down amongst the tubes of icing. "Okay, truce," he panted.

Poppy was trying to catch her breath as well. "Only if you admit…" She took another breath and pointed at him. "…that you messed up my cookie on purpose."

"Okay, I admit it."

"Fine, truce then." She held out a flour-covered hand, which he took, the powdery substance disintegrating in the air as they shook on it.

As Poppy slid down to sit on the floor, Branch went back to the kitchen. He came back with two hand towels, giving one of them to her. He sat beside her as they cleaned off the flour.

"You made it look so good and I had to see if it tasted as good as it looks."

"That's your reasoning?" She scooted closer, elbowing him. "You could've just asked me for it."

"What would've been the fun in that? Besides, it had to be a botched cookie. I didn't think you'd let me try one if it was good enough for one of the baskets."

"Ooh, very fair point," she giggled. "So, did it taste as good as it looks?"

"Can't really say for sure, I only got a little bit of the icing and that's it."

"Oh, well in that case…" She fetched the cookie from where it had been left on the table, and handed it to him.

He thanked her and took a bite. Nodding, he hummed at the scrumptious flavor. "Mmm. Yea, 's good, but not quite as sweet."

She frowned, head tilted to one side. "As sweet as what?"

"You. And your kisses," he replied, taking another bite.

Giving a fond smirk, she leaned her head on his shoulder. "Flirt."

He chuckled. "You like it."

"Yea," she nodded slowly, still leaning on his shoulder as her hand found his and she began to toy with his fingers. "I do," she said.

Those words sounded some kind of lovely coming from her lips.

Maybe one day he could get her to say them again, in a different setting.

A matrimonial kind of setting.

After cleaning the flour off themselves and the room, and salvaging the cookies that hadn't gotten blasted in their epic battle, they finished decorating the remaining batches and helped the others put them all in the rest of the baskets.

Upon completion of this big team project, everyone celebrated by partaking in the cookies that were left over. And to show her gratitude for how helpful her friends had all been, Suki made everyone their favorite beverage to enjoy while they munched on their cookies.

As they all lounged on the bean bag chairs or relaxed on the couch, Poppy brought something out that she'd been wanting to share with them.

"Does anyone want to see a few pages from my dad's scrapbook?" she asked.

"Oooh me!"

"Love to!"

"Me too!"

"Oh yes please show us!"

"I wanna see it!"

"Crack that book open girl!"

With unanimous approval from the Pack, Poppy sat back down, the others all crowding around as she flipped through the pages she had marked.

"So here's the part that's all about Mom's big performance."

On the page was a felt troll that looked almost identical to Poppy, but will curlier bangs and a light purple nose. She was taking a bow on the ice as the other trolls watching cheered for her. "So this is just after she's finished lifting up the spirits of all the trolls." As her friends all oohed and aahed, she turned to the next two pages. On these, Poppy's mom could be seen again, but this time everyone was on the ice with her, cheering and celebrating. "And here's the part where they come onto the ice afterward with her. The ice lilies cast light, and there's a big explosive burst in the sky. Then these pretty neon clouds form, and down falls the kaleidosnow! And everyone enjoys it while they skate around the lake together."

"Looks like 'snow' much fun!" said Guy, grinning cheekily, garnering a bit of forced laughter and one of Smidge's facepalms.

"I can hardly wait to see it!" Biggie said.

Satin stirred her hot chocolate with a dreamy excited sigh. "Poppy you're gonna look—"

"Sooo gorgeous!" Chenille said, finishing her sentence for her, as was her twinly duty. "Belle of the ice!"

"For sure!" Satin agreed.

"I can't wait to see you two coordinate the moves with the music!" Suki jumped in.

Smidge nursed her cup of hot chocolate with a thoughtful look. "So why'd she start doing this anyway? You never told us that part."

"Dad said it was something she started doing for fun at first, and then when they discovered the magic of the ice lilies and what they could do, she turned it into a yearly tradition. As a way to have something to share with all the trolls. It was her gift of hope to everyone in the kingdom."

Grunting in understanding, Smidge chowed down on her third cookie. That was explanation enough for her.

The others voiced how sweet and wonderful they thought it all was.

Branch, however, remained rather quiet, carefully studying the pages of the scrapbook. He'd previously seen them, when Peppy had shown him the book the night he'd walked him home. But hearing Poppy's interpretation of the pages and the story they told was putting those cogs to work inside his head.

[]

Later that night, Branch was walking Poppy home, but they'd only gotten a little less than halfway to her pod when she decided she wanted to go somewhere else instead.

"Hey," she began, playfully nudging his side. "Guy told me they finished setting up the lights by the lake earlier today. Would you maybe wanna go check out how they look, before we head home for the night?"

"Sure, I've been wondering how those were coming along."

"Alright! Let's go then!" She jogged down the old familiar path that either one could almost follow blindfolded, for they'd walked it so many times now over the past few weeks.

"I meant to ask you earlier, are you sleeping okay? No more nightmares?"

"No. I haven't had one since the night I broke down on you."

She stopped so she could gently cup both sides of his face. "Good. Don't ever feel like you have to hide from me again, okay? If something's bothering you, please tell me so we can work through it. We're a team now. The last thing I want is for you to feel like you can't trust me when fear and doubt is yanking you down, or be worried that I won't listen to you or understand. Even if I don't understand sometimes, I promise to try my hardest. Because I love you, Branch. So much. And if there comes a time when you have trouble believing it, I will say it over and over and over until you believe it again."

He caught one of her hands and dotted kisses all along her knuckles. "Now who's the flirt?" At hearing her delightful chimes of laughter, he joined in, but got serious again right after. "Okay, I'll allow it, but only if you let me do the same for you whenever you need it."

Poppy nodded, humming happily while gazing at him. "And another deal is struck." She grinned brightly, tugging him eagerly by the wrist as the two descended the snowy hillside. Poppy stopped when they made it to a comically large switch that had been fastened to the side of a tree.

She looked back at Branch, both hands gripping the switch. "Ready?"

"Ready!"

She flipped it, and all around them, light flooded the lake. Strands of all colors came to life, illuminating every tree and shrub on the snowy grounds. Glowing lanterns hung amongst the strands of lights weaving through the trees, streamers and ornaments filling any extra spaces. And finally, a set of spotlights had been assembled overhead. There wasn't a single section of ice unlit as the spotlights cast their light upon the lake.

"Whoa," Branch marveled.

"Pretty isn't it?" said Poppy, joining him at his side to admire the beautiful scene.

"It's incredible," he whispered, turning to enjoy the view from every angle, not wanting to miss a single detail of this wintry wonderland.

"And just think, tomorrow night, we'll be out here, under all these bright lights, putting on our big show for the entire village to see."

"I can't believe it's tomorrow."

"Neither can I. These weeks have flown by crazy fast." She crossed her arms over her chest, sighing through her nose and looking up at the stars. "I hope I'm ready."

"I think you are. You know the routine forward and back, you've mastered all the jumps. We've done all the polishing we could possibly do."

"Oh that reminds me!" She took off her backpack, digging around until she pulled out Branch's skates. "Got them all spiffed up for you. Couldn't get all the scuff marks, but I got what I could."

He smiled and took them. "You've really outdone yourself this time."

She giggled as he wrapped her in one of his loving embraces. "Hey," she whispered, and even though her voice was at its quietest, he could still hear the eager inflection carried on her breath. "You know, I got my skates in here too. You wanna make one last lap before we call it a night? Soak everything in? Tomorrow's gonna be so busy, I doubt we'll have much of a chance."

"Our last time on the ice together, before the big day comes. And it's all over."

She frowned, huffing into his neck. "Don't make it sound so…final. I want to do this with you every year. And it's not _over_ over until the ice melts. But yea, what would you say to one last time before tomorrow?"

Branch knelt down to put on his skates, standing back up so he could fish through her bag. He pulled out her skates and set them in her arms. "I say let's do it."

The two skated hand in hand, slowly gliding as they kept to the lakeside.

"You know you've really come a long way since that first crash you took into that bush."

"Heh, gee thanks," she deadpanned.

"No I mean it. You've really come into your own. Look at what you've accomplished. You went from not even being able to keep your balance for two seconds to mastering the axel. And all the other difficult jumps you conquered as well. You said you were going to, and you did it."

She smiled back at him. "That's thanks to you. And I've probably mentioned it already a bunch, but I just wanted to say thank you, again. You've made this one of the most magical, unforgettable winters of my life."

He breathed a light laugh and shook his head. "All I did was teach you how to skate, Poppy."

"No Branch, that's not all you did. You've helped me revive a tradition that's really meaningful to me, something I never could've done by myself. And through it all, you opened your heart up not only to me but to everyone around you. That's what's been so special about this whole thing. I've gotten to watch you grow into a happier troll. One who's patient and loving and thoughtful, who does touching things and writes poems that make me cry and kisses away all my troubles. But keeps me honest and helps me stay grounded so I'm able to achieve the crazy dreams I chase after. And gives the absolute best snuggles, hands down. And has a mean throwing arm and crazy impressive aim when he's hurling flour and jelly beans at me." He had to laugh at that. "You didn't just teach me how to skate. You've been teaching me all kinds of things, whether you realize it or not. Things that make me a happier troll too. A better troll. A better version of me than I used to be. I really believe that."

Her words of warmth had a smile stretching across his lips, ones that creased his eyes and made his nose crinkle. There was no warmth in the world that could compare to Poppy's love.

"Yea well, you've done that too, ya know. For me. You've been teaching me things too. Things about myself, that I didn't even know. You've woken up all this light in me. And I thought there was no way it was still in there, but you brought it out. I don't know how you do it, but you do. If I've done any growing, or brought any kind of magic, you're the reason. It's you, Poppy."

Fingers interlaced with hers, he circled so that he was facing her. He brought their hands up so that their palms were pressed together. Gliding back on his skates, he pulled her forward, spinning out in a wide circle with her, eyes fixed on hers as he started to sing.

-o-

 _There's a laugh in my eyes_

 _There's a waltz in my walk_

 _And it's been such a long time_

 _Since there was hope in my talk_

 _If you never knew_

 _What it is that's new…it's you_

He wrapped his hand around hers, the two skating side by side, without a care in the world.

 _'Cause when your hands are in mine_

 _You set a fire that everyone can see_

 _And it's burning away_

 _Every bad memory_

 _To tell you the truth_

 _If it's something new, baby it's you_

The pair drifted gracefully across the ice, their movements not flashy or choreographed, reminiscent of the dance they'd shared in the valley. He would gently twirl her, and bring her back against him so he could stroke the side of her face. By the start of the following lyrics, he'd lifted her high up in the air and slowly lowered her until her arms had found their place around his neck.

 _It's you in the morning_

 _It's you in the night_

 _A beautiful angel came down_

 _To light up my life_

She let go, but stayed close, performing graceful maneuvers on her blades, starting with a toe loop. She landed it, and fell right into another string of elegant spins. His song carried on, and he found himself enamored by his beautiful queen as she put on a captivating show, just for him.

 _The world's a different place_

 _Where nothing's too hard to say_

 _And nothing's too hard to do_

 _Never too much to go through_

 _To tell you the truth_

 _Everything that's new, baby it's you_

He couldn't keep away anymore, so he glided over and reclaimed his spot as her partner in this most enthralling dance. His arms hugged around her, but giving her enough space to move on her own, they flew across the ice. As he went forward, Poppy slid back, kicking one leg up behind her and holding the position. Branch mirrored her position, guiding them into a dual-spiral spin. The two moved together so naturally, it was as though they spiraled as one.

As they slowed, he smoothly dipped her, bodies and gazes locked.

 _Ohhhh ohhh ohhhhh_

 _It's you in the morning_

 _It's you in the night_

She reached up and caressed the side of his face, steadying herself on both legs before pushing back again. She'd started to glide around him in wider arcs, legs crossing over one another in a repeated sequence, to help her build up speed.

Then she spiked the toe pick of her skate, vaulting herself into the air. Her body twisted in a direction opposite than how she jumped, and she spun not once, or twice, but three times, landing on the other foot.

Saying he was proud couldn't do justice to the way Branch felt, watching her execute a flawless triple lutz, when at the start of this all, she couldn't even stand upright on those skates.

But if anyone could somehow always find a way to bring about surprise and amazement in him, it was Poppy.

Her crystal skates gleamed in the light as she made her way back toward him. Just before she got there, she leapt up in the air again, but he caught her this time, and she looped both legs around his waist, closing her eyes and rubbing her nose back and forth against his. While he held on tight.

 _A beautiful angel came down_

 _To light up my life_

 _My life, my life_

They picked back up with their lap, feet moving in fluid synchrony as they raced around the lake's edge, arms linked as Branch sang the last part of his song to her.

 _So if I get to grow old_

 _With many years behind me_

 _There's only one thing I want_

 _One troll I need beside me_

 _For all that you are_

 _For everything you do_

 _For all that you've done_

 _Just for showing me the truth_

 _It's you_

 _It's you_

They slid to a very gradual stop, fingers tightly entwined where they stood, both feeling, at this moment, they were the only ones in the universe.

 _Baby, it's you_

[][][]

The night they'd been waiting for had finally swept over Troll Village. The morning and afternoon prior had been a whirlwind that had blown by so fast Poppy barely had time to catch her breath.

As queen, she had to give her approval of the decorations set up around and inside the hollow tree where the Winter Welcoming Party would be taking place. And pitched in with all the small last minute repairs or party-related predicaments that were par for the course on nights when important events took place. Like the extra snow that fell and blocked the way in, which she had to then help clear away.

One could say those unexpected happenings were a sort of tradition in their own right.

Her next task was to make sure all the food made it safely inside the tree and helped set each pie and cake on its designated table.

As soon as that was done, she had to book it over to Suki's to help her find something warm to keep her wooferbug wrapped up so he wouldn't turn into a bugsicle. He had to look and feel his best, as he was going to be broadcasting the musical piece to accompany Poppy and Branch during their routine.

Afterward, she went to go see the village hairstylist. Maddy could tell she was a tad stressed, so she gave her a lemon balm facial, which helped Poppy relax while Maddy went to work beautifying the queen's hair.

The pampering did work out some of those anxious jitters.

When evening fell, it was off to dinner with her father and friends. She had invited Branch but he had told her he had something to take care of and would see her at the lake.

Then it was time. She donned her dress and tiara, chose her warmest boots, mittens, scarf, and wool cape, grabbed her skates, and she was off.

By the time she'd gotten there, trolls were already starting to gather. Feeling another rush of nerves, she walked over to an old tree stump. Brushing bits of snow off one of its roots, she gave a shaky breath and sat down. She took off her mittens and rested her skates in her lap. By now, she didn't know whether it was okay to call them her own or still refer to them as her mother's. She was staring down at them, trembling fingers tracing the outlines of the crystals.

And that was how Branch found her when he arrived.

"Everything alright?" he asked.

She looked up with a start. "Oh Branch," she sighed in relief. "You're here."

He sat down next to her. "Alright, what's wrong? Come on, out with it."

She bit her lip, running her finger over the smooth blade. "I'm just so nervous. I-I mean I'm excited too, don't get me wrong. I've been looking forward to this since day one…it's just…I've gotten everyone all amped up for this, and I just really really _really_ don't wanna let them down."

He leaned toward her and rubbed soothing circles into her back, massaging a few tense knots when he'd come across them. "I'm going to give you some advice that you gave me not too long ago: stop being so hard on yourself. They're all gonna love it, no matter what you do or don't do out there. And, remember, beyond all those expectations you've put on yourself, this is supposed to be fun. If you're having fun, it'll be that much easier for everyone watching to feel uplifted too. "

"Yea…yea you're right."

He lightly bumped his upper arm against hers. "And I'm gonna be right out there with you. The whole time."

She arched appreciatively as he massaged away the knots in her back. "That's the one thing helping me stay calm right now." Sitting up straight again, she hugged him tightly. "At this point, I honestly don't know what I'd do without you."

Heart skittering, he hugged her back, rubbing the spot right between her shoulder blades. "I'm sure you'd figure it out, your life would just be a little bit different."

She clung even tighter to him. "Well I'm glad I don't have to figure it out, because I don't want different. Of any kind. I like this better."

He dropped a soft kiss to her forehead. "I like this better too," he whispered against her skin. He ran his fingers through her silky styled hair, both hands coming to rest on her shoulders as he admired her from head to toe. "You look absolutely beautiful, by the way."

"Thank you," she beamed. "And you look positively handsome. Lavender really brings out your eyes." She fixed one of his sleeve cuffs. "The twins did an amazing job with the color match."

"It's really comfortable too. But apparently, doing this on such short notice set them back on alterations they had to do for the outfits other trolls are wearing to the party, and I was told I 'owe them one' later. I'm kinda scared to find out what that means."

Poppy giggled. "I'm sure it won't be anything you can't handle."

"Just like this won't be anything you can't handle either. 'Cause I'm staying right by your side." He lifted a finger and tapped her nose. "And that's the way it's gonna be."

As she laughed again, swatting his hand away, her father was shuffling his way over.

"Are we almost ready?"

"Dad, hi! Yea," said Poppy, standing up and smoothing down the skirt of her dress. "Just about. Branch was giving me a little pep talk." She looked down at the skates she still cradled. "I will do everything I can to make this special for you. And Mom. I promise. With everything in me."

"Oh now, don't put that kind of pressure on yourself, Poppy. Just go out there and have fun, that's the most important part."

Branch pointed to Peppy. "Thank you, see? That's exactly what I told her."

A warm chuckle rumbled in Peppy's chest as he hugged his daughter.

She nuzzled into his shoulder. "I'm still gonna try my hardest. I want to make you proud."

He smiled down at her and shook his head. "Poppy, I'm already proud of you. After everything you've accomplished already, what father wouldn't be?" He pushed back of piece of hair that had been covering one of her eyes.

"You think…if Mom were here…do you think she'd be proud?"

"Oh no, I don't think; I know."

"Poppy!"

They all turned and Poppy gasped, squealing as she leapt through the snow. "Bridget!"

The softspoken Bergen girl waved to her troll friend from atop the snowy hillside. Next to her Gristle waved too. A little lazier, but still enthusiastic, for him.

Poppy hopped through the snow until she was at Bridget's feet. Bridget picked her up and Poppy cuddled into her cheek. "You got my invitation!"

"We did!" Bridget held her troll friend close to her face. "I couldn't wait to come see you! I've missed you so much!"

"I've missed you too!"

Bridget lifted her higher so she could get a better look at her. "Wow, your dress is so pretty."

Poppy twirled playfully on Bridget's outstretched palm. "Thank you! Satin and Chenille made it for me."

Bridget gave one of her heartwarming smiles. "Well they did a really good job. I don't think I've ever seen you wear something so…sparkly!" She looked down at Branch. "Hey, you two match!"

Branch fiddled with his collar. "Yea, that was by design."

Bridget gasped, turning to Gristle. "Grissy, you and I should find matching outfits to wear. It would be so much fun! Don't you think it would be fun?"

Gristle winced, glancing to the side. "I dunno babe, all that…coordination…it just sounds like a lot of work to me…"

"Well what if I made the outfits?"

"Mmmmm…I still don't know. It would have to be something tasteful, that compliments my royal handsomeness. It couldn't be anything tacky or embarrassing, I have an image to uphold."

"I know, I know. Hmmm…I could make us sweaters…" She gasped again. "Wait! I've got it! Jumpsuits! Matching jumpsuits!"

"Jumpsuits?!" Gristle's mouth fell open, snapping shut so he could offer his lady love a smoldering grin. "Now we're talking."

Poppy hugged her body around Bridget's finger. "I'm sorry I haven't been back to visit you guys in a while. It's just so busy in the village right now."

"Oh Poppy please don't worry about that. We're not going anywhere, and besides, it's nice to be able to come see you for a change." Bending down, she set Poppy back onto the snowy ground. "I'll let you um, get back to whatever you have to do before you get started. Catch up afterwards though?"

"You know it, girlfriend!" Poppy held up a hand and Bridget touched her fingertip to it. Their own version of a high-five.

Bridget adjusted her pink knit beanie as she stood. "Okay, we're gonna go find a place to sit. See you!"

"See you!" Poppy said back.

Gristle jutted his head in Branch's direction. "Later, man," he said.

"Later," Branch said with the same small nod.

While Branch and Poppy were helping each other lace up their skates, Suki came over. "We good to go?"

"We're good," said Poppy, removing her cape and scarf. "Ready when you are."

Giving them a double 'thumbs-up', Suki ran over to her sound system, climbing up onto the back of her wooferbug and picking up her flower megaphone. "Alright everyone! Listen up! It's time to find your seats and get settled. The show's about to begin!"

The two trolls skated out in front of the crowd, Poppy taking a few deep breaths and looking to the stars. The clouds had cleared, giving way to a clear view of the full moon at its highest point in the sky. She looked at the lilies, the icy blue bulbs opening, their glistening petals peeling out far enough that the gemstones were becoming visible.

Finally, she looked to everyone who had left the comfort of their pods on this chilly winter's night in hopes of seeing something no troll had seen for many a year. Her fellow villagers, her friends, her father, they all stood watching and waiting. She knew, even if they didn't demand it, they were wondering if she would actually be able to make it happen.

And even Poppy wondered that herself.

Would they be upset if she couldn't? Would they all be disappointed? Surely they would be, even if they never spoke of it out loud. The disappointment would still be there. Oh what would she do then? How was she going to face them all after such a major letdown like that?

"Angel? You ready?"

Breaking through her stupor, Branch gave her hand a squeeze.

"Yea." She squeezed back. "I really hope this works." Her words came in a whispery squeak as they got into position for their opening pose, which called for them to stand back to back, several feet apart.

"Don't worry about the outcome. Be in the moment, keep close, eyes on me. Everything will be fine. Just trust me."

"I trust you. Completely. You trust me too, right?"

"With all I am."

The music started, and both stepped into motion.

Poppy was first to turn back around, Branch still facing away from her. She swizzled over and linked her arms around him, forehead touching the base of his skull. When he turned to face her, she pulled him into a wide spin. They whipped around like a two-toned cyclone. Slowing back down, Branch drew his partner into a close hold, the back of his hand falling to caress her cheek.

Poppy kicked her leg up, curving it around and letting it come to rest on the back of his. After which, she lightly swung it back, initiating a freestyle step sequence, keeping in time to the music as they performed an array of movements simultaneously, making it look as easy as an afternoon stroll. The sequence concluded with Branch dipping Poppy.

But they were far from done.

Straightaway, they were on to the next part. Branch headed towards the middle of the lake, stopping abruptly to clasp his hand with Poppy's when she shot forward. Acting as her center of gravity, he stayed in place and she skated around him, taking on the role of the spoke. He tossed her up in the air, hearing gasps all throughout the crowd as she did two full flips while up in the air. The gasps turned into sounds of applause as Poppy landed the maneuver, gliding by the crowd on one skate, twisting her arms in a fun and graceful pose.

Once Branch had caught back up with her, he spun her out into a steady string of pirouettes, followed by a grapevine move they did in opposite directions. Then they looped back around and performed a mirrored toe-loop.

The audience cheered, but Poppy's pulse was hammering so loudly in her ears that she didn't even hear.

One jump down, three to go.

To build up to the second, Branch lifted Poppy up in the air again, but then catches her, allowing her to arch backward into the layback spin. Just like they'd practiced.

The music swelled, its melody carrying them on its rousing current as they glided across the ice. Faster and faster they flew. When they'd reached peak speed, Branch helped lift Poppy up, and she settled on his shoulders now. He gripped her legs to anchor her in place, and she stretched both her arms out to either side, the cheers from beyond the ice getting even louder.

It was going to happen. She was going to make it happen, she could feel it.

Now it was time for the axel. Not a main component of the routine, but as it was the hardest jump, Poppy had really wanted to add it in. And to really crank up the wow factor, she'd opted for two in a row.

In time with each other, they kicked up, twirled in the air, and landed it cleanly. Then came the next one. It had all gone so smooth, from entrance to flight phase.

But on her landing, Poppy lost her footing. She wobbled and flailed, heading straight down.

A strong hand shot out and caught her wrist, righting her again instantly. Branch, once again, came to his queen's rescue.

Grateful eyes fell on him as he gave her a look that said 'everything's okay, I've got you.'

She'd recovered fast, brushing off her almost fall and focusing on the next move.

She made an impressive comeback with the jump that followed: a pristine double lutz, with both nailing the landing.

They took off in opposite directions, rounding back and pushing off, meeting each other in the center as the music rose to a crescendo that brought them into the finale move. Primrose's butterfly spin, only now it was a spin for two.

Each one launched the other into this daring backswing spin. Both pushing off on one foot, they gathered up enough momentum to swing themselves up and around above the ice, legs kicking up and over in a fanning motion, and touching down on the alternate foot.

Landed, with remarkable finesse.

They came together for one more spiral twirl performed in tandem, the two trolls clutching each other tightly before Branch dipped Poppy one more time, drawing them into their final pose just as the music stopped.

The crowd roared with applause, trolls all over the lakeside cheering, clapping, some pumping their fists in the air as they jumped up and down.

As their audience cheered and lavished them with excited shouts of praise, Poppy and Branch held their final pose. But Poppy kept glancing anxiously towards the lilies and up to the sky. There was no sign of the snow she'd been hoping for.

She waited, until the cheers began to die down, and after they each took their bows, she pivoted around so that her back was to the crowd. Branch was the only one who could see her face, so it was fine if she looked like she was about to burst into tears. At least he would be the only one to notice.

She felt his hand on her shoulder. "Poppy—"

"It didn't work," she said, voice having a slight tremble to it. "It didn't work…I failed. I let everyone down. _Again_."

"What? No, you were fantastic—"

"Then why didn't it work?!" Wisps of cold air slipped from her mouth as she breathed in shallow little huffs. "I did something wrong…" Her eyes widened. "The axel. I flubbed that second axel, that's why…I shouldn't have tried to add two, maybe I shouldn't have added them in at all. Maybe I was just being greedy." She sighed in distress, nibbling at her fingers. "This is terrible."

"Okay, one: you weren't being greedy, you were just having fun and making it your own. And two: that's not the reason."

"Then what is it?" she demanded thickly. "Why didn't it work?"

A mysteriously knowing smile took form on Branch's lips. "Because I don't think we're finished yet."

"What are you talking about? The show's over. We finished the routine."

"Yea, but that's not how it ends."

"Huh?"

Branch was already gliding across the lake, stopping where Suki's sound system had been assembled. "Hey!" He called her, pointing to her megaphone. "Can I borrow this?"

She gave it to him and he thanked her, waving to the crowd. "Hey everyone! If I could have your attention, I've got something really important I wanna say." The crowd fell quiet, curious eyes on him as he cleared his throat and continued. "Poppy worked really hard to put this together for everyone to enjoy tonight, as a tribute to her mother. I hope we honored her well, and her tradition, and I also hope you enjoyed the little performance we put on. We're really grateful to everyone who left their warm cozy pods to watch us. And now, we'd like to give you the chance to take part too. If you want to." He motioned for someone in the crowd, and Marble and several other trolls dispersed from the crowd. They jogged over to fetch boxes from where they'd been stowed behind a huge boulder nearby. While they brought the boxes, Branch glanced back to Poppy, still on the ice and looking altogether confused. He held up a finger, urging her to wait as he spoke again to the crowd.

"These trolls helped build ice skates for everyone in the village. Kids too. Whatever size your foot is, they'll find a pair just right for you. And if you want to try to skate but need some help, I've gotten together with a group who's been learning under Aspen's guidance. And mine, when I had time away from practice. Can you all just raise your hand so we can see who you are?"

At least two dozen hands went up, everyone looking around as Branch pointed them out and gave their names. "If you need a partner or just a hand to hold on to, get with those trolls. Find yourself some skates, find a partner, if needed, and then come to join me and Queen Poppy out on the ice for a quick lap around the lake."

Poppy watched on, still looking very confused as nearly every troll in sight rushed over to the boxes, looking for a pair of their own skates to wear. Families and friends flocked to the lake in excited bunches.

Branch skated back over to Poppy's side and took her hand, watching everyone gather around.

He saw her puzzled expression and winked in response. "Just go with it," he said, lacing their fingers and holding her arm up with his. "Are we ready?" he shouted to the others.

Shouts of "YES!" rang out all around them.

"Alright!" Branch started leading Poppy forward, motioning for all the other trolls to follow. "Let's go!"

Poppy looked back at all her fellow villagers and their happy, exhilarated faces. "That was so nice of you to do, Branch. Thank you. Trying to help me keeps things in perspective aren't you?" She smiled.

He spied a cluster of ice lilies, gemstones in their centers glowing bright. "Something like that."

"Well this is really great. Even without the snow. Though I wish we could've seen it."

"Don't be so quick to toss the notion." Slowing his pace, he nudged her side and pointed to the lilies. Poppy gasped aloud as beams of blinding light shot up to the sky. In their explosion high over the lake, neon clouds were created. They puffed up and down from the clusters of electric blue, lime green, cyan, and hot pink, snowflakes of every shape imaginable floated down. Trefoils and quatrefoils, spiral coils, prisms, vortex spheres, and stunningly complex mandala shapes.

Voices from all around began to overlap in awe and delight.

"Look! Look! Up there!"

"Is that snow?"

"I've never seen snow that looks like that!"

"It's kaleidosnow! Just like Queen Poppy told us about!"

"That's amazing!"

"Are you seeing what I'm seeing? You see that, right?"

"So wild!"

"Quick! Catch one on your tongue! They're supposed to taste really good."

"Trolly moley, that's delicious! Cold, but delicious! You've _gotta_ try one of these!"

Trolls scattered all across the lake, skating here there and everywhere while catching kaleidosnowflakes on their tongue before chasing after the next one to fall.

Poppy watched in elated disbelief. "How?" She looked to Branch. "How did you do that?"

"I didn't; we did. The routine was just the first part, to get things started. The other part is getting everyone involved. That's how you lift someone's spirits." He cast his gaze up towards the neon clouds and the countless kaleidosnowflakes fluttering down. "As a wise troll once told me, being together is what it's about. I didn't understand at the time what she meant, but now I do. It's the reason. The reason we have traditions and make them part of our lives. It's the very thing trolls strive for each and every day. Togetherness. Unity. Takes more than just me and you though. It takes everyone." Their gazes met. "And it takes someone with heart to want to preserve that in the lives of her people."

Lovestruck. It was really the only way to describe the way Poppy looked as she stared up at him. She slid forward and wrapped herself around him. "You are so wonderful," she whispered against his shoulder.

"Nah," he chuckled. "I just read between the lines." Untangling from the hug, he coaxed her towards her friends. "Go. Enjoy the payoff for all your hard work. I'd say you earned it."

Hands clasped, she squealed, skating off towards Smidge Biggie and the twins, all helping Suki get balanced on her skates.

At seeing her Smidge yelled out, "Poppy! Best snow day EEEVVVEEERRRRR!"

"Snow night!" Biggie sweetly corrected. "But yes! Agreed!"

Suki's hand had a death grip on Satin's wrist. Her other had an equally tight grip on Chenille's. "Yea, great, just…just don't let go, 'kay?"

The twins chortled. "We won't!" they said in unison.

Nearby, Fuzzbert was doing some rather impressive moves on his blades while Cooper tasted snowflakes, laughing as he hopped around, trying to catch as many as he could.

About that time, Guy skated by, a troll on each arm. "Poppy! Hey! The snow's ma-a-a-a-aaaa-a—r-velo-oo-us! Oh, and thanks by the way, I took your advice about going stag to the party! I'm going to sweep every troll in arm's length off their feee-eee-e-ee-eee-ee-et!"

"Ohhhh boy…" said Poppy, causing the rest of her friends to laugh.

As Branch watched from afar, a small trolling skated his way. "Mister Branch!"

He looked down with a warm smile. "Fern! Hey! Good to see you again." He picked her up. "Do you like the snow?"

She nodded. "Mhm. It's really pretty." Without missing a beat, she cocked her head and asked, "Mister Branch, do you love Queen Poppy?"

"Very much," he answered. "You think I have a chance with her?"

Fern nodded. "Uh-huh, just 'member to tell her she's beautiful and hug and kiss her a lot, and give her flowers and sing to her sometimes."

Branch grinned down at her. "I'll be sure to give that a try."

Marble and Holly skated through the crowd, waving to him.

He set Fern down. "Marble, hey, thanks for all your help today."

"Oh believe me, this is thanks enough, Branch." He twirled Holly and she giggled, spinning back into his arms.

Floret and Hemlock were not too far away. They waved and he waved back. Spruce turned in a circle by himself, and as he did he loudly belted out: "Troooll the ancient you-tide carol, FA-LA-LA-LA-LA! LA-LA-LA-LAAAAAAHHH!"

Floret was holding little Chestnut, who waved to Branch and then caught a snowflake on his tongue. "Mmmmm!" he licked his lips. "Yummy snow!" Another snowflake landed on his nose and he shivered. His parents thought it adorable and both smiled as his mother cuddled him and he sighed happily.

"Yo! Branch!"

He turned to see Aspen zooming past, pulling Cypress behind him. "Dude, this is the coolest! You and Poppy really put on a show! It was so tight!" He swerved abruptly, the force of his blades against the ice spraying ice shavings everywhere. "Come on, Cypress, let's show 'em how to really tear up the ice!"

She leaned forward, legs spread a bit before she stumbled forward after him. "A-Aspen, wait! N-n-not so fast! I'm still dizzy from spinning!"

Cloud Guy was propped up against a tree in view. When Branch saw him, he saluted the troll. Then he floated up to hover beside the neon clouds, giving a suave grin to the bright green one nearest him. "Why hello there. Precipitate here often?"

Shaking his head, Branch skated away to find Poppy.

Before he could, Bridget waved him down.

"Hey guys," he said when he'd gotten close enough, ears lowered in slight remorse. "Listen, I'm sorry about, you know, not having skates for you two."

"Oh no Branch it's okay!" Bridget assured. "I know this was kind of more a thing for the trolls. But I love Poppy and wanted to come see her big show."

"Well I know she's glad you came to watch. And I am too, so thank you both."

Gristle glanced down at the 'lake' as the trolls called it, with an arched brow. "Yea, I don't think we missed that much. That's a pretty small frozen puddle, we wouldn't be able to put our feet on that thing for two seconds without demolishing it anyhow."

"Yea, I think it's best if we don't do that," Bridget helpfully supplied, patting Gristle's arm. She looked back down at Branch. "We're gonna head back home soon. But you both were really awesome, and I wanted to tell you both before we left."

"Ahh well thanks. We had a lot of fun. So did you already get to talk to her?"

"Oh yea! Just a few minutes ago."

"Did you happen to see which way she went?"

"She's over there, with her dad." Bridget pointed the way, and Branch thanked her and bid them both good night.

On a less crowded spot on the lake, the young queen and her father were slowly skating arm in arm.

"Does it feel strange? To finally be on the ice again, after all these years?"

"A little, but there's still some muscle memory ingrained in there, somewhere," Peppy answered.

Poppy kept her arm around him, their pace easygoing. When Peppy decided he needed a break, Poppy helped him get back to solid ground and walked over to sit with him and watch everyone else.

"I thought I'd never see it again," Peppy sighed up at the falling snow, unruly hair ruffling in the wind. "And you brought it back."

"We all brought it back. Together."

"But it was you who showed the way. Your mother would be so proud, Poppy."

"I had heaps of help, though. It never would've happened without him."

Slipping through the crowd, Branch spotted her where she sat.

Peppy patted his daughter's back to get her attention. "If you two have a daughter one day, promise me you'll pass the skates on to her."

Poppy's head snapped up, her cheeks turning three shades of red as her jaw fell open. "Dad!"

"Oh come now Poppy, fulfill an old troll's wish, would you?"

Dipping her head back down, she snickered, tucking a lock of hair behind her ear and nodding, a hot blush still burning her cheeks. "Okay. It's a promise."

"Good." His hand still on her back, he gently pushed her forward. "Now go get back out there. I'll catch up in a bit. I'd just like to rest and watch, take everything in for a minute."

"Sure." She turned back and hugged him. "I love you, Daddy."

"I love you too, my princess."

Poppy practically leapt back onto the ice, skating as fast as she could towards Branch. When she'd gotten close, he held out his arms, took her in them and spun her around in the air.

"This is everything I wanted and more," Poppy said to him. "Just so you know."

"Well then, mission accomplished."

Holding his hands, she began to playfully swing their arms. "Togetherness might be the reason for tradition, but you are definitely the reason my heart's so full of love and joy and hope and so many other wonderful things."

"You've had a pretty similar effect on me. You kindled a fire in me. One that melted all that ice around my heart. Set it free. And your love's flame is the only one that can make me feel as warm and happy as I do whenever I'm with you."

"Ohhh Branch!" She leaned against him, nuzzling her cheek against his. "You're my fire, too. Your love warms me right up like no one else's. Also, you are smoking hot, let's not forget that."

"…I cannot believe you just said that."

"What? It's true! Fire's hot and so are you." She gasped. "Hey, I made a rhyme! Maybe I should try a hand at writing a poem or two myself." She grinned, biting her lip. "I'm totally kidding."

Branch shrugged. "Eh, too bad, I could give you pointers if you really wanted to have a serious go at it."

"Yea? Skating coach turned poetry teacher?"

"I can't really teach you something like that. Poetry comes from here." He pointed to his head. "And in here," he added, placing a hand over his heart. "But I could…" He put his hands on her shoulders and gently guided her forward. "Give you a little push in the right direction."

She grinned over her shoulder. "I can help you too, if you wanted to get serious with scrapbooking. I saw your little felt creation you made at Plum's. Looked pretty great, if you ask me."

He hummed in thought. "You writing and me scrapbooking. We'd really be speaking each other's language then. Might even help us understand each other better."

"Maybe. But I'll tell you one thing. I love you, Branch. Like I've never loved anyone before. And I don't need poems or scrapbooks to understand that."

"I love you even more, Poppy."

A grin blossomed on her lips. "No way."

"Way," he answered, tilting his head as their noses met. "And you know what?"

"Hm?"

"I'm gonna love you forever."

Her gaze became lidded as she looked up at him. "I'll love you for longer."

"No way," he whispered.

"Way," she murmured faintly, nodding her head over and over. Then she leaned in the rest of the way as he pulled her to him, their eyes slipped closed, and their lips meshed together in an exhilarating kiss. One that made their hair twist up, blue wrapping itself snug around pink. A shower of sparkles rained down from the intertwined locks and a radiant glow spread across their skin, their colors at their very brightest.

Lips still in close proximity with his, she started to sing, straight from the heart.

 _You're here, where you should be._

 _Snow is falling everywhere you can see_

 _Never felt this way before_

 _And I could never ask for more_

 _Kaleidosnow_

 _What a beautiful sight_

 _Means so much more_

 _With you here holding me tight_

 _You're all that I need_

 _So stay right here with me_

 _Tonight_

[]

Some time during the middle of the night, Branch was just getting back to his bunker. The Winter Welcoming Party had gone off without a hitch. He'd danced the night away, played games, made new friends, and now he was beat and ready for sleep.

He shuffled into his bedroom, looking tired, but also very, very happy. He began to shed his heavy outerwear and formal attire, tossing articles of clothing onto the floor on his way to the bathroom. After a nice hot shower, he dressed in his favorite flannel pajamas and flopped down on the bed, thinking about the spectacular night he'd just had.

Remembering his latest project, he slunk off the bed and wandered over to his work desk. On it lay crystals he'd collected from the caves back on their trip to the valley. He'd taken one and had cut it down into smaller fragments and soldered them to his grandmother's ring, which also lay on the desk. Picking it up, he examined the crystal pieces surrounding the other jewels with a smile and then carefully set the ring back down. He still had some work to do on it before it was worthy of presenting to Poppy, but that could wait.

For now, he crawled into bed, turned on his bedside lamp, grabbed his writing journal and flipped to the next blank page. Once he'd gotten comfortable, he composed a heading at the top.

It read: _"Proposal Plans."_

And away he wrote.


	12. Epilogue

It was early in the morning. The kind of early during which all signs of the coming day are still hidden far behind the horizon.

From high overhead, a quinlyr swooped down, feathery wings extended out at his sides, fluffy fur ruffling in the light breeze blowing by.

His rider sat upon his back, fingers tightly gripping the reins as he guided the creature further down towards the mountainside where the caves resided. "Easy, pal," Branch spoke. When the quinlyr's paws met the rocky ground, he gave a happy chattering sound, throwing his head back. Branch laughed, knowing exactly what his furry friend was asking for. Leaning forward, he gently scratched under his chin. "Good boy, Ripple."

Ripple flicked his tail, purring at his owner's attention.

Branch hadn't been alone on his early morning flight. His lips formed a tender smile as he heard the troll sitting in front of him yawn and stir.

He touched his chin to her shoulder, gently rubbing his cheek against hers. "Hey there, Sleepyhead," he murmured quietly. "Welcome back." Letting go of the reins, he took hold of her hand. As he laced his fingers with hers, he heard their wedding rings brushing together, and he could only sit there and wonder how one little sound could hit the ears so beautifully.

"Mnnh…" She inhaled drowsily and rubbed at her eyes. "H-how long was I out?"

"A pretty good while," Branch replied. "Almost half the trip."

Remorse set in plain as day on her face. "'M sorry, I was just…" She yawned and stretched a little. "So tired."

"Ah don't be sorry, I'm glad you got some rest."

He hopped down to the surface of the ledge they'd landed on, and turned around just in time to see Poppy readying herself to jump down too.

Eyes popping wide open, he pulled her down into his arms before she had the chance. "Ohhh no you don't."

She gave an over-exaggerated groan, but despite it, she looked up at her husband with a loving little smirk. "You're never gonna let me have fun again, are you?"

Arms encircling themselves around her, he, so very gently yet playfully, pulled her to him from behind, her back to his chest. "I will, I promise." His hands traveled downward, rubbing at the rounded swell of her belly poking out under the pale green fabric of her dress. "Once this little bun's done baking."

Poppy laughed. "They're getting to be _not_ so little," she said as she leaned back against him and glanced down. "I can hardly see my feet anymore."

"I know," he chuckled, nuzzling the back of her head with a grin of absolute contentment. "It's such an adorable look on you."

"Shut it," she laughed, tipping her head back and giving him an upside-down kiss.

"What?" he said when their lips parted. "I can call my pregnant wife adorable if I want to. What's so wrong with that?"

"Nothing. It's just that it's at the expense of my lack of balance, and achy back…and self-consciousness."

"The only thing you should be conscious about regarding yourself is how irresistible I find you, and how happy you make me."

She prodded the underside of his nose. "Buddy you better be _real_ careful with that silver tongue, you know I can cry at the drop of a hat nowadays."

"Oh I'm well aware. So here's the plan: if I cause trouble before we get back outside, then I'll dry your tears and give you a backrub after we get settled in at our old campsite. How's that sound?"

"Mmmm, like heaven," came her contented murmur as he supported her with his arm and walked with her toward the cave entrance. "Now I'm kinda' hoping you cause trouble."

Branch grinned even more, chest resonating with fond laughter.

With Ripple holding Branch's lantern in his teeth, he followed the two trolls through the chambers until they arrived at the one filled with crystals.

"It's just like I remember," Poppy marveled, enthralled once again by the radiant glow given off by countless crystals all around. Then, after giving herself the opportunity to bask in this glow, and get reacquainted with the cave and all its hidden splendor, she gave a happy sigh and retrieved two crowns from a bag strapped to Ripple's back. One was hers. The other, she handed to her husband. "Okay, time to accessorize for the occasion."

"Did your parents wear their crowns for this?"

"I dunno, but that's how you and I are doing it. Because it makes it feel official that way."

He shrugged. "Whatever you say..." After sliding the crown over his hair, he stood to his full height, situating the leafy band and looking to her to make sure it was straight.

She fixed it for him with a dreamy little smile. "And plus, you look so regal and handsome in yours and I will use any and every excuse I can find to see you wear it."

He nodded, an amused smirk quirking at the corners of his lips. "Noooow the truth comes out."

The sound of her soft chortle echoed, bouncing off the cave walls as Branch took a sharp tool and extracted two crystals from a cluster in reach.

They walked hand in hand again, crossing the chamber and stopping when they reached the wall that displayed the carved heart that held Peppy and Primrose's names.

He handed one of the crystals to Poppy. "So, did you want to start or…?"

"Actually I was thinking we make the heart together. So we start at the top, curve down on either side, and then meet at the point at the bottom. And then we'll carve our names one at a time."

Branch nodded. "Sounds good to me."

The two found a space on the wall close to the first heart. Using their hands to measure it out, they agreed on a starting point and then, using the sharpened end of each crystal, carved out the new heart on the wall.

Then it was time to add their names.

"You go first," said Poppy, putting a hand to her back. "I…gotta sit down a minute."

"Tired already?" Branch jested, but agreed nonetheless and didn't tease her further. She had walked all the way through the caves, it only made sense she'd need a little break.

So as Poppy sat on the cave floor, Ripple came up, putting on one of his 'aren't I the cutest?' faces, which persuaded her to pet his ears and compliment him on what a big help he'd been and what a pretty boy he was.

Worked every time.

Branch, meanwhile, carved out his name inside the heart and added an ampersand. "Done," he announced, holding out both his hands and helping Poppy stand, as getting back up again was something she had a bit of trouble with as of late.

Physically speaking.

Not that Branch ever minded helping her back onto those sore little feet of hers. Maybe a footrub was in order too.

Poppy started to carve out the first letters of her name, but halfway through the 'o', she stiffened, huffing out a squeaky breath as she pressed a hand to the front of her belly. "Wow they're kicking like crazy in there."

Branch was in front of her in less than a second, ears perking eagerly. "Really?" He rested his hands against the same spot, waiting. Then his face lit up as he felt small bumps and nudges against his fingers. "They are. They really are," he cooed in a small loving voice reserved only for their baby.

"I swear one of those had to be either an elbow or a heel," Poppy told him as she went back to carving her name.

Kneeling down, Branch laid his head against her stomach, closing his eyes and humming contently. "Trying to get comfy, aren't you? While you grow all big and strong in there so you'll be ready to meet us when it's time," he crooned in a tone of utmost tenderness. He pulled his wife closer to him as he doted on their unborn child with kisses and quiet whispers of love and telling him or her how he couldn't wait to meet them and snuggle with them every night.

Poppy finished carving out the final letter, looping the crystal around with a flourish afterward. "Okay," she said, looking down at him. "That's it, Branch. It's written on the cave wall. An officially official mark of our love stamped on the world. No turning back now."

Still kneeling in front of her, Branch gave a subdued grunt, rubbing his cheek against her belly. "Mmh. Bummer," he said, picking his head up to offer Poppy a mock look of disappointment. "This mean I gotta toss out all my emergency escape plans?"

"Afraid so."

"The backups too?"

She had begun to slip her fingers through his hair. "Yup."

Exhaling in a sarcastic sigh, he dropped his hands and stood up. "Fine. Guess I'll rip 'em up or pitch 'em in the fire when we get back home."

As he stood facing her, Poppy looked down with a sweet smile, placing her hands back on her growing bump. "Hello there, my little prince or princess. It's your mommy." Her gaze lifted to meet Branch's, encouraging him to speak.

"And your dad," he said, before Poppy cheerfully went on.

"And we're all here today to carry on a royal family tradition that your grandparents started. And we hope, if it's something you want to do, that you'll carry it on one day, when you're all grown up and have a special troll in your life that you'll start your very own family with. And when you're old enough, we'll tell you the story behind it all, along with the story of how tradition brought your father and I together."

Branch put his arm around her. "Both are stories worth a listen."

As Poppy leaned against him, the two admired the brand new heart now etched into the cave wall, right near the first.

After leaving the cave, Branch and Poppy rode on Ripple's back through the valley grounds. Soon they'd arrived at the place by the river where they'd set up camp during their first trip here.

Poppy was staring up at the sky, which was still mostly dark. "You remember our first night here, when we made a wish on that star? It shot across the sky, right there," she said, pointing.

Branch looked at the spot she pointed to. "I don't think I'll ever be able to forget anything about that night, honestly. A troll doesn't so easily forget the night he shares his first kiss with the girl he fell for."

Poppy smiled up at him. "So, did you ever get your wish?"

"I did."

Her smile widened. "What'd you wish for? I never did ask you."

He held her gaze, tucking a few silky strands of hair behind a velvety pink ear. "I made two wishes. Not sure if that's allowed, but my first was for you to be happy, even if that meant that I wouldn't get to be the one to share a home and family with you one day. Above all, I just wanted you to be happy and still do now."

"And your second wish?"

"My second wish was, that if, by some miracle, I did get to be the one to share those things with you, that I could spend the rest of forever doing that."

There was a blissful look on her face as she answered, "That's pretty much exactly what I wished for too."

"Yea?"

"Mhm," she hummed. "I wished for you and me, and a place all our own. Somewhere we both felt safe. Sitting cuddled up all warm and cozy, holding a baby in my arms that we made together. And you holding both of us. Because that's what would make me truly happy. Planting flowers in a garden that I get to grow with you. Guess both our wishes are coming true, huh?"

Heart flooding with endless adoration for his wife, his soulmate, and the soon-to-be mother of his child, he gave her a deeply loving kiss on the lips, arms snug around her middle. "Remind me later to go find that star so I can thank it."

[]

Miles away, on a lofty hill obscured by fog, one that overlooked a ravine littered with copses of thorn bushes and thick briar vines, a lone castle stood. And within one of its higher towers, another pair of trolls were welcoming their children into the world.

But it wasn't as happy an occasion as it should've been.

The exhausted mother lay on a bed of leaves, tears and sweat coating her face as her breath came in weary wheezes.

Beside her, a male troll was cradling a squirming newborn baby. His smile was fearful but full of love. "It's a girl. So, two sons and a daughter."

"Let me hold her," she pleaded, trembling arms weakly stretched up to the last little one she'd given birth to.

The male nodded, handing the wailing infant to her.

She beamed, tracing a shaky fingertip around the newborn troll's face. "My sweet baby," she breathed.

She begged to hold the other two and the father obliged. With all three in her arms, she nuzzled and kissed each precious face. Then she asked their father if he would hold her.

He thought it a strange request, but not an undesirable one. He slipped his arms around her, exhaling in a deep sigh and closing his eyes.

"I love you all, more than life," she said to her family. "I hope you know that."

"We know," the male murmured. "And we love you every bit as much."

Her eyes still closed, she began to sing to them. Her voice was worn and hoarse, but the limitless love she held for her family could still be heard in the fragile melody.

The male listened to her song, so relaxed and content for that moment that he didn't notice right away that her voice had trailed off.

He looked down, thinking that perhaps she'd merely fallen asleep.

Then he realized that she wasn't breathing, her body limp and perfectly still.

"Darling?" Dread grabbed hold of him as he gently shook her, getting no response. "Darling," he said again, breath picking up and voice thickening. "Sunrise," he used her name this time, calling urgently to her.

She didn't move; she made not a sound.

Blood going cold, he stood and turned to another troll who had been assisting with the birth. "She's not breathing," he told her.

The aged troll's brow knit in alarm. She scooped up the three newborns and passed them to their father. "Hold them to you and keep them close, they need warmth as long as they can have it." As he did as she advised, the elder female knelt at Sunrise's side, listening and feeling for any signs that she was still holding on.

After performing a few rushed attempts to revive her, she stopped and removed her hands, casting the worried male a gravely apologetic look and shaking her head. "I'm so sorry Whiffle…she's gone."

"… _no_ ," he gasped. "O-oh _please_ no." He shook his head wildly, his whole body trembling. "I-I…sh-she can't…she can't leave me, she's my _everything_!"

Over and over he said this, gripping the newborns to his chest. They wailed louder, as if they somehow knew their mother was no longer alive.

"Whiffle," the elder troll said, bracing her hands to his shoulders and making him snap out of it. "She's gone. Now, we must give her a proper burial. If you hold your children, I will get everything ready so we can."

Instead of agreeing to her offer, he shoved the trio of crying bundles into her arms. "Not until I say goodbye!" he cried, gritting his teeth and sniffling.

With a heavy sigh, the elder nodded compassionately, giving him space and bouncing the tiny trollings in her arms as she did.

Whiffle crawled over to his lost love's body, collapsing atop it as he sobbed, shoulders heaving as he screamed, "Why?!" That was all he could say as he clutched at Sunrise's body. It was still soft and warm. He just kept shouting as he soulfully howled. "Why? Why did you have to go? I need you… _I need you_! We were going to find a way out of here together! That's how this was supposed to go! That's how it was supposed to go…"

His sobs eventually subsided and he came back down from his hurricane of anguish. But he was just on the precipice of the grief he'd feel down the line.

Trudging back over to the elder, he took a shuddering breath and wiped his face. "I'll do it," he told her.

"No."

From one of the many branches up above, two trolls swooped down, drawing in their speckled wings as their feet met the grass.

The first one was stockier with a broader chest. He spoke in a deep voice. "We'll do it."

The second one was taller with a somewhat narrower build. He was nodding his somber agreement. "Yea, you just take whatever time you need to say your goodbyes. We'll take care of the burial."

So, beneath their Troll Tree, the two dug a grave and gathered flowers to decorate the burial scene, while Whiffle wrapped Sunrise up in her most favorite quilt and clutched her to him.

"My darling," he brokenly whispered while smoothing her hair back. "I have…no idea what I'm going to do without you. But…thank you, for giving me a reason to want to wake up in the morning…I hope that, if we go somewhere after this life, you go somewhere happier than this wretched place. Somewhere you can finally be free. To soar high up to the heavens and beyond. I'll miss you more than I can say, and I just wanted you to know that I—"

His words were halted by a door flying open and slamming against the wall. The gathered trolls cowered in fear, backing away.

A tall spindly beast began stomping over to the small garden in the corner of the drafty room where his captives were held.

As the giant creature came into the meager amount of light the room gave off, his countenance became more distinct. He was a Bergen, but he didn't look quite like the Bergens in King Gristle Jr.'s kingdom. He was lanky and his features were sharply defined, nose and ears hooked at the tips and skin clear of unsightly warts.

"I was just coming to check back in," he spoke in an unnervingly charismatic voice, and looked rather pleased as he got closer. "Ahhh, the little wailing goblins are here. Splendid." He grinned an ugly grin. "Took her long enough to pop them out. I've been waiting for hours."

Whiffle glared, dark green eyes narrowed up at the monster leaning over them. "You can't have them," he hissed.

"Don't make this difficult," the Bergen smoothly said, holding out his palm and wiggling his fingers. "Hand them over."

The elder female took Sunrise's body and placed it at the base of the tree, giving the Bergen a scornful glare, as did the other two.

Whiffle took all three of his newborns and hugged them to his body. "I'll die before I do! Murderous coward!" he yelled up to the beast.

The Bergen chuckled lightly. "That's rather big talk from someone so little. Have you forgotten who runs the show around here?" He glowered now. "I would be more than happy, to refresh your memory."

He took the mystical stone hanging from a chain around his neck, summoning its magic. He spoke a few words in a language unknown to the trolls. The part they did know was that it always meant trouble.

With a snap of his fingers, the four trolls cried out, limbs locked as the summoned magic forced them to go completely still where they stood.

After that, the Bergen used very little effort to reach in through the magical force field keeping them inside, and pluck the three bundles from Whiffle's grasp.

As he walked away from the small garden, he snapped his fingers, and they all fell to the ground, groaning and panting in pain from the terrible sting of the magic's dark power.

Whiffle, still panting, pushed himself up on shaky limbs, glaring up at the Bergen hatefully. "Monster!" he yelled. "Spineless soulless monster!"

A wave of easy chuckles flowed out as he strolled over to a large pot on a table that stood beneath a shelf crowded with vials and bottles galore. "After all these years, that's the best you can do? Shame."

The three newborns cried loudly as the Bergen held them up by what little hair sprouted on their teeny heads. "Now now," he said. "There's no need to cry. Today's a most wonderful day. It's your first day in the world, the first day of your little lives. And as a birthday gift, you get the prestigious honor of helping me achieve longevity in mine." Spreading his clawed thumb and forefinger apart, he dropped them into the pot, calm eyes watching them fall as he smiled. "The greatest gift of all."

He poured bottles of murky liquids into the pot, and after the amulet began to glow an ominous red, the cries from inside had ceased.

Before the eyes of the trolls huddled under their Tree, the Bergen became younger, wrinkles smoothing out and silvering hair returning to its original inky black.

The female troll held Whiffle and rubbed his back as he hid his face in her shoulder, tears spilling down in a torrent.

Whiffle grieved the loss of not only his love, but his children as well, the last he'd ever get to have.

Meanwhile, another troll was flying in through the window, on the back of a furry winged creature with rounded ears and a wispy tail. This troll looked similar to the others, except she was grey.

"Whoa girl," she said, tugging at the reins until the creature protested with a choking sound. "Sorry," she muttered. Once they'd landed on the Bergen's table, the troll hopped down, offering up a bag to him. "Here ya go. Found the herbs you asked for."

"Excellent. I'll find a place for them, set them over there for now."

She nodded, dragging the bag across the tabletop. "So they finally came? How many this time?"

"Three."

"Three?!" the grey troll echoed in disbelief, stopping in her tracks. "Wow, Sunrise must be bushed! She'd better rest up while she can and get ready for next time."

"There won't be a next time," came Whiffle's despondent croak. "She's dead."

Tension fell over the room in an instant as the Bergen turned slowly, features hardened as he stared. "What did you say?"

Whiffled mirrored his stony stare. "Sunrise is dead." He hacked out the words bitterly. "Come see for yourself."

He wasted no time stalking over to the Tree, jaw taut as the trolls stepped aside so he could see the lifeless body where it had been set down. He picked up the once living queen and after bringing her back to his potion table, used every method he had on hand to revive her.

But it quickly became apparent that anything he tried would prove useless. Shaking in anger, he picked up a handful of glass bottles and hurled them at the wall. They shattered loudly against it, smoking liquid and slime sliding down to form a pool on the floor.

He kicked a chair, sending it hurtling into a decorative statue, smashing it to pieces. He'd punched the wall and shoved a stack of tomes to the floor before his tantrum concluded. Then he dug his claws into his hair as he exhaled in livid snarls. "Now what?!" he asked no one in particular. "Without a fertile queen, I have no royal lifeblood. How do I maintain an immortality spell without the key ingredient?"

Several long beats of silence passed. And then another voice spoke up.

"Simple. Find a new queen."

The Bergen turned to the grey troll standing on the table by the potion bottles that still remained after his outburst.

"Another?" He scoffed, glaring hard. "Where would I even begin to look?"

She knocked her feet together and shrugged. "Your nephew and his subjects befriended the ones they used to keep captive. They may not live in his kingdom anymore, but they do stay in contact." She pulled something from a satchel at her side. "In fact…I was there today, just doing a little scoping out. And I saw that Bergen girl he married. The former scullery maid. You remember her?"

"Barely. She's a rather easy one to overlook."

"Well they're married now, and she happened to be out delivering invitations as I was stopping by." She held up the envelope she'd dug out. "I think you'll wanna see this."

Within the envelope was a card with disgustingly cute stickers all over it. He opened it and read over the invitation, lips slowly curling into a malicious grin.

"She was giving these out today?" he asked.

"Earlier this morning."

"Wonderful. It appears they're hosting a little gathering at their castle in two weeks." He set down the card and tapped a set of razor-sharp claws together. "That's more than enough time." He lowered his hand. "Come my dear," he said to her. "We have to make preparations."

The grey troll hopped into his palm. "Preparations? What for?"

"For a trip. We're going to pay my nephew and his little wallflower a visit. And offer our most heartfelt congratulations to their troll queen friend who has a precious arrival on the way." His eyes glowed with eerie excitement. "Seems I've already found a solution to my quandary."

* * *

 _Happy Holidays, they're gonna have a babyyyy!_

 _And surprise, I've left it open for a sequel! It would follow the events leading up to Branch's proposal to Poppy, and the wedding, and then everything else that leads up to this part. And what comes after it. Chapters would be about half as long as these have been, and the story would have nothing to do with ice skating and everything to do with developing the Broppy relationship. While adding some new story elements and characters._

 _But only if people wanted to see that. You may not and that's totally fine. But if you want to see the story continue, you'll have to let me know._

 _Anyhow_ , _t_ _hanks for reading my first go at a Trolls fanfic! It's been fun!_


End file.
